•V*,  5. 


*V&,  5. 


# 


^■ST£NCf„ 


%i 


The  Oceaa  Cloud  in  FUiaea. 


THE  TRACK  OF  FIRE. 


-►»— •-■♦■•— »« 


IEW    YORK: 
IRWJN  P.  BEADLE  <fc  GO'S 

TEN  CENT  PUBLISHING  HOUSE  FOR  THE  MILLION. 

W.  D.  Baker,  Cleveland,  0. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Counted*,  in  the  y.  *i  1864.  by  IKWIN  F.  BEADLK  k 
the  Clerk's  Otfict  of  the  District  Court  of    b«  I'nited  states  for  the  Southern  Dis| 
New  tork. 


THE  MAN-EATERS; 

Mill 
Tiie   OannilDal   Q>i.ioenj 

I?KSCRirTIOS    OF    THt    QUEEN    KALOTA. 

Slie  was  about  twenty-two  years  of  age.  above  the  medium  lie i 
and  possessed  a  stately  step,  and  a  form  as  straight  as  the  palm  t 
that  shaded  her  isle.     Her  complexion  was  a  dark  olive:  her  • 
black  and  small,  though  piercing  in  their  glances,  and  shining  i 
an  unvarying,  diamond-like  lustre.     Her  cheeks  were  stained  a  1 
red,  as  was  her  large  neck  and  shoulders,  and  her  full,  nuked  boa 
Her  hair  was  long,  bushy,  and   frizzled,  and  arranged  gron 
with   ribbons  and   shells.     The  lobes    of  her  ears  were    enormoil 
distended  with  holes,  in  which  were  suspended  an  immense  pai 
ear-rings.     The  expression  of  her  countenance  was  repulsive,  | 
indicative  of  strong  animal  passions.     Her  dress  was  a  compronj 
between  the  simplicity  of  the  native  Feejeean  costume  and  the  I 
ropean  attire,  being  composed  of  a  short  silk  skirt,  of  a  bright  si 
let  hue.   edged  with  a  heavy  silken   fringe  which  fell    to   her   bl 
knees  ;  a  pair  of  gaily  embroidered   shoes,  and  a  loose  open  jacW 
which  revealed,  rather  than  concealed,  the  upper  half  of  her  persll 

-What   you  say  to-day,  Capt.  Linn  ?"  asked  Kalota,  in  very  toll  A 
able  English,  she  having  learned  a  good  deal  of  the  language  frd 
the  missionary,  in  order  to  render  herself  more  agreeable  to  her  cl 
durate  captive. 

"  The  same  as  before  and  always."  replied   the  captain. 

A  Rcowl  passed  over  the  queen's  face,  but  she  instantly  assumed 
sntiie  meant  to  be  tender  and  persuasive,  and  approached  him. 

••  i  make  you  one  more  offer,"  she  said,  putting  iter  arms  aroun 
him  and  caressing  him.  "  i  make  you  king,  and  you  be  my  husbaJ 
1  love  you,  and  give  you  everything  you  want — eh.  (apt.  Linn  ?" 

The  eager, rapturous  expression  on  her  countenance  disgusted  o 
hero,  and  he  freed  himt-elf  from  her  encircling  arms,  saying: 

-  Von  had  better  go  home,  Kalota,  and  marry  one  of  your  o\. 
kind.  I  have  got  some  one  else  to  love  me,  and  1  love  her.  1  ca 
noj  many  you !" 

A  look  of  fiendish  jealousy  appeared  on  the  face  of  the  gava 
beauty,  and  she  said  : 

"Ah!  you  love  iiother  woman!     Is  she  pr<  ;ty  as  me?" 

Man-Eaters  will  be  issued  Feb.  1.5th,  1864. 

IRWIN  P.  BEADLE  &  Co., 

PUBLISHER8, 
'^7  Vv  ill  tain  Street,  New  York. 


THE 


'-/  f  I 


TRACK  OF  FIRE  ; 


on, 


er< 


A  Cruise  with  ite  Pirate  Semmes. 


•rv  ;,J 
.  5 


A  CHRONICLE  OF  STARTLING  ADVENTURES  ON  THE  OCEAN. 


By  CAPTAIN  WHEELER,  U.  S.  A. 


Author  of  "  The  Web  of  Fate,"  "Running  the  Blockade," 
11  The  Seceet  Destroyer," 
&c,  &c, 


...■  I! 

•    :! 

i  si 


-' 


NEW  YORK: 

IRWIN  P.  BEADLE  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS, 
137    William    Street. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  18C3, 

By  IRWIN  P.  BEADLE  <&  CO. 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Conrt  of  the  United  States 
for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York 


T.    R.    DAWLEY,    ELECTROTYPES,    13    PARK    ROW,    N.  Y. 


THE  TRACK   OF  FIRE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

capt.  semmes  and    his  lieutenant — the   burning  ship — the 
"  Alabama"  awaiting  her  prey  ! 

Late  one  j>leasant  evening,  about  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber, 1863,  the  famous  piratical  cruiser  Alabama  was  lying 
in  Table  Bay,  in  front  of  Cape  Town,  thirty  miles  north  of 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope.  Her  commander,  Capt.  Raphael 
Semmes  was  leaning  over  her  bulwarks,  on  the  inshore  side, 
looking  towards  the  town  and  peaks  of  Table  Mountain, 
which  rise  so  precipitously  above  it.  The  history  of  Capt. 
Semmes,  his  personal  characteristics,  etc.,  are  too  well 
known  to  the  world  at  large  to  require  mention  in  these 
pages. 

"  Lieutenant  Murlick,"  he  said,  suddenly  turning  to  an 
officer  passing  near  him,  "  when  shall  we  make  that  little 
trip  ashore  ?     To-night?" 

'"  If  you  think  best,  Capt.  Semmes,"  replied  the  person 
addressed,  as  he  paused  beside  his  superior.  "  If  the  Fed's 
hunt  us  through  the  Indian  ocean,  as  they  have  hunted  us 
in  the  Atlantic,  we  had  certainly  better  have  the  specie 
safely  stowed  away  behind  us." 

"  Just  so !  Get  out  a  boat,  and  come  to  the  cabin,  and 
we'll  set  about  it.  We  will  not  take  any  of  the  men  with 
us !" 

Lieut.  Murlick  hastened  to  comply  with  this  order. 

He  was  one  of  the  most  villainous-looking  men  it  is  posr 
sible  to  imagine. 

He  was  about  forty-five  years  of  a^e.  with  gr:'as£]y  hair 
and  beard,  with  front  teeth  showing  like  a  rutV;.  with  sniall 


4  THE    TRACK    OF    FIRE  ; 

and  twinkling  eyes,  which  were  full  of  cold-blooded  selfish- 
ness and  cruelty,  and  his  visage  was  characterized  by  the 
most  evil  and  repulsive  expressions. 

Xaturc  had  originally  written  villian  on  his  countenance, 
and  every  event  of  his  life  had  set  this  seal  deeper  and 
deeper  upon  it. 

"  That  will  do,  boys,"  he  said,  after  a  couple  of  seamen 
had  lowered  a  boat  by  his  orders.  "  You  can  go.  The 
captain  and  I  are  merely  going  to  take  a  little  row  by  our- 
selves on  the  bay !" 

He  fastened  the  boat  under  the  steamers  quarter,  and 
entered  the  cabin.  .  The  watch  on  deck  paid  but  little 
attention  to  these  proceedings,  and  the  officers  .and  men  off 
duty  had  mostly  turned  in,  leaving  the  cabin  to  the  two 
confederates. 

"  There  are  four  of  the  boxes,  Murlick,"  said  Semmes, 
who  was  bringing  out  some  small  iron  chests,  with  handles, 
from  his  state-  room — "  two  for  you,  and  two  for  me.  We 
shall  want  a  couple  of  spades,  and  it  may  be  well  to  take  a 
dark  lantern !" 

The  iron  chests,  which  appeared  to  be  very  heavy,  were 
placed  in  the  boat,  and  the  two  men  were  soon  rowing 
leisurely  towards  the  northern  side  of  the  bay. 

The  two  chests  belonging  to  Capt.  Semmes  contained 
gold. 

The  contents  of  the  other  two  were  chiefly  silver. 

This  money  had  been  saved  by  the  two  men  from  the 
captures  of  specie  they  had  made  in  the  Alabama. 

"With  a  wise  prevoyance,  they  had  resolved  on  placing 
it  where  it  would  not  be  exposed  to  the  hazards  of  war. 

"  We  can't  be  expected  to  risk  our  lives  for  nothing, 
Murlick,"  observed  Capt.  Semmes  when  the  boat  was  out  of 
hearing  from  the  steamer.  "  If  the  Confederacy  becomes  a 
fixed  fact,  she  will  not  need  this  money.  If  she  fails,  we 
cannot  very  well  get  along  without  it !" 

Murlick  muttered  his  assent  to  these  views.  Set) 

"  I  hope  I  have  been  liberal  with  you  added,  Semmes — 
"giving  you   tWQcty  thousand   dollars  **f  -  this  secret  fund. 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  5 

and  reserving  to  myself  forty  thousand.  I  believe  that's 
about  the  lion's  share,"  and  he  laughed.  "  I  think  that  we 
have  managed  the  whole  affair  so  that  our  brother  officers 
do  not  suspect  us.  As  to  the  men,  they've  had  no  chance, 
of  course,  to  see  what  we  are  doing!" 

Thus  conversing,  the  two  men  reached  the  shore  of  a 
lonely  creek  shaded  by  thick  bushes,  and  stunted  trees,  in 
a  retired  part  of  the  bay,  on  the  northern  side,  three  miles 
from  the  town. 

They  went  ashore,  looking  around,  and  came  to  the  con- 
clusion, that  no  one  beside  themselves  was  stirring  in  that 
region,  all  being  stiil. 

It  was  now  near  midnight. 

The  brilliant  moon-light  and  star-light — the  quiet  waters 
of  the  bay — the  heights  of  the  neighboring  mountains — the 
sleeping  town — the  solitude  of  the  shore  near  them — all  the 
features  of  the  scene  were  full  of  a  weird  tropical  beauty. 

"  Of  course,  we  have  every  faith  in  each  other,"  remarked 
Semmes,  as  he  landed. 

"  Of  course — of  course  !" 

"  At  the  same  time,  each  had  better  keep  his  own  secret. 
Thus,  while  I  go  westward  along  the  shore,  with  my  two 
boxes  of  specie.  You  may  go  eastward  with  yours — 
there's  a  shovel  apiece — you  can  bury  yours  at  any 
place  you  may  select  after  getting  out  of  my  sight,  and  I 
will  do  the  same  with.  mine.  In  thirty  minutes  more  or  less, 
wTe  will  meet  at  this  spot !" 

Murlick  again  muttered  his  assent,  and  the  two  men  sepa- 
rated, each  going  his  appointed  way,  and  taking  a  spade 
and  his  chests  of  money  with  him.  Semmes  was  the  first 
fto  return  to  the  boat,  but  was  speedily  joined  by  his  lieu- 
tenant. 

"  In  this  way,"  said  Semmes,  "  we  shall  have  no  fears  nor 
apprehensions  of  each  other,  let  what  will  happen.  You 
do  not  know  where  I  have  buried  my  money,  nor  do  I  know 
where  you  have  buried  37ours.  And  now  that  the  job  is  off 
our  hands  we  will  breathe  more  freely  !" 


6  THE    TRACK    OF    FIRE  J 

# 

They  seated  themselves  in  the  boat  and  pushed  off, 
returning  to  the  steamer. 

"  We  have  made  the  Cape  our  head-quarters  long  enough," 
observed  Semmes  to  Murlick,  when  the}*  were  again  at  their 
case  in  the  cabin  of  the  Alabama.  "  It  has  doubtless  been 
generally  reported  to  the  federal  cruisers  where  we  are.' 
We  must  go  up  to  the  Bay  of  Bengal.  Between  here  and 
there,  if  fortune  favors  me,  I  will  destroy  every  United 
States  vessel  we  may  encounter.  Every  night  shall  witness 
a  grand  ship-burning.  The  East-Indian  route  shall  be  a 
perfect  track  of  fire,  illuminated  by  the  conflagration  of  the 
ships  we  capture  !" 

"  Good.  I  approve  of  a  general  destruction.  It's  sheer 
folly  to  take  bonds  from  vessels,  and  let  them  go.  The 
collection  of  those  bonds  is  too  many  generations  distant. 
The  true  way  is  to  sink,  burn  and  destroy !" 

An  hour  later,  the  Alabama  was  standing  out  of  Table 
Bay,  headed  towards  the  Cape,  on  her  way  to  the  East- 
Indian  waters. 

The  following  forenoon,  when  off  Algoa  Bay,  she  captured 
an  East-  Indiaman,  the  Ceres,  of  Boston,  homeward  bound 
with  a  valuable  cargo. 

Several  other  vessels  were  boarded  during  the  &:,y,  but 
they  proved  to  be  English  or  French,  and  were  not 
molested. 

When  the  shades  of  night  had  again  enveloped  the  scene, 
the  steamer  was  hove  to,  and  the  Ceres  fired,  as  a  decoy  to 
any  merchantmen  which  might  be  sailing  in  those  waters. 
Semmes  had  saved  her  until  this  hour  for  this  purpose,  in 
accordance  with  his  usual  modus  operandi. 

As  the  flames,  kindled  in  the  cabin  and  hold  of  the 
doomed  ship,  reached  the  deck,  and  commenced  climbing 
the  masts  and  shrouds,  the  Alabama  withdrew  beyond  the 
glare  of  the  conflagration,  and  became  motionless  on  the 
water. 

Grim  and  silent  as  well  as  threatening,  she  lay  just  with- 
out the  circle  illuminated  by  the  burning  ship,  and  waited 
and  watched  for  her  prey! 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH   THE    PIRATE    SEHJ1E3.  7 

CHAPTER  II. 

FALLING   INTO   THE   TRAP. 

The  decoy  ship  of  Capt.  Scmines  had  not  been  vainly 
lighted. 

Within  a  few  leagues  of  the  meridian  reached  by  the 
Alabama, a  stately  clipper-ship  was  standing  eastward,  with 
a  gentle  breeze,  and  all  her  sails  drawing. 

She  was  the  Ocean  Cloud,  of  Boston,  homeward  bound, 
with  a  cargo  of  hemp,  indigo,  coffee  and  pepper. 

On  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  looking  thoughtfully  out  upon 
the  sea.  stood  a  gentleman,  whose  bearing  was  at  once 
commanding  and  prepossessing — Mr.  Jacob  Yale,  for  many 
years  a  prominent  merchant  of  Boston. 

He  was  the  owner  of  the  vessel. 

lie  had  lately  retired  from  active  business,  afflicted  with 
ill-health,  brought  upon  him  by  too  close  application  to  his 
multitudinous  affairs,  and  his  physician  had  recommended  a 
sea-voyage,  which  he  had  accordingly  taken. 

The  expression  of  Mr.  Vale's  face  was  sadly  thoughtful, 
and  he  frequently  sighed. 

"  Twenty  years  ago  to-night,  since  my  poor  boy  disap- 
peared," he  at  length  ejaculated,  half  unconsciously.  "  fe 
he  yet  living?     Shall  I  ever  sec  him  ?" 

A  yo".ng  lady  came  out  of  the  cabin,  and  put  her  arm 
through  Mr.  Vales,  saying  : 

'•  Dear  father,  you  slipped  away  from  me  unnoticed!" 

As  indicated  by  her  words,  she  was  the  daughter  of  the 
retired  merchant.  Her  name  was  Ethel.  She  was  about 
eighteen  years  of  age,  gentle  and  unaffected,  with  a  remark- 
ably well-balanced  character,  a  rare  degree  of  intelligence, 
and  a  cultivated  mind.  Her  eyes  were  dark,  and  beamed 
with  spirit  and  tenderness,  her  complexion  was  of  a  pale 
brunette  tint,  and  her  lips  wero  red  like  coral.  She  was 
graceful  and  winning,  and  was  as  lovely  in  her  disposition 
as  in  person. 


8  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE  | 

"  I  thought  you  wouldn't  be  lonely  in  the  society  of  Capt. 
Willis,"  replied  Mr.  Vale,  pressing  the  radient  girl  to  his 
heart  <l  You  and  he  seem  to  be  very  attractive  to  each 
other." 

The  girl  blushed  and  looked  over  the  side  of  the  vessel, 
concealing  her  face  from  her  father. 
^  -  Besides,"  added  Mr.  Talc,  ';  my  thoughts  havo  been 
"jjiucli  occupied  to-day  with  your  lost  brother.  Strange  that 
thoughts  of  him  have  come  over  me  so  often  lately  !  Can  it 
be  that  he  lives,  and  that  our  fates  are  to  be  in  some  way 
re-united  ?" 

"  Tell  me  all  about  him,  dear  father,"  said  Ethel,  after  a 
pause.  '•  You  have  never  yet  told  me  the  particulars  of  his 
disappearance,  the  subject  being  so  hopeless  and  painful." 

Mr.  Yale  caressed  his  daughter  a  moment  in  silence,  and 
then  said : 

'•  Since  he  is  frequently  ill  my  thoughts,  and  not  as  one 
dead,  I  will  tell  you  the  story.  In  1842.  your  mother  and 
I  were  married,  while  I  was  yet  a  clerk,  During  our  court- 
shin,  your  mother  had  been  much  persecuted  and  annoyed 
by  the  attentions  of  a  suitor  earned  Abner  Murlick,  a  clerk 
in  a  rival  house.  This  person  uttered  fearful  threats 
against  us  botli  before  and  alter  our  marriage,  but  suddenly 
left  the  citv,  and  we  incidentally  learned  that  he  had  gone 
to  New  Orleans.  Three  years  after,  our  first-born  son  was 
taken  from  his  Kttlc  wagon,  one  day,  when  he  was  out  with 
his  nurse  for  an  airing.  She  stood  on  the  common,  looking 
at  some  passing  show,  and  when  she  turned  the  boy  had 
vanished.  YTc  suspected  that.  Murlick  had  abducted  him, 
.^'utall  our  subsequent  efforts  to  find  either  Eugene  or  his 
.  apposed  abductor  ■were  fruitless!" 

As  Mr.  Ya!e  ended  this  brief  narration,  Capt.  Willie  came 
on  deck.  He  was  about  twenty-five  years  of  age,  tall  and 
slender,  with  an  originally  fair  complexion  now  browned 
by  exposure  to  wind  and  sun  ;  With  light  blue  eyes,  honest 
and  expressive  in  their  glances ;  with  light  brown  hair 
waving  carelessly  over  his  high  broad  forehead  ;  and  with 
a  general  appearance  at  once  noble  and  distinguished.     He 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE    I'IRATE   SEMMES.  9 

had  been  a  poor  boy,  without  a  friend  in  the  world,  but 
had  supported  and  educated  himself,  attaining  a  high 
degree  of  mental  cultivation,  and  had  adopted  the  sea  as  his 
profession,  eventually  reaching  his  present  position  of  com- 
mander and  part  owner  of  the  d"pper. 

"  A  fme  night,  Mr.  Yale,"  he  r  marked,  "  and  we  are  mak- 
ing fair  progress  in  the  direction  of  home  !" 

"Yes,"  replied  Mr.  Yal  ,  making  room  for  the  young 
Captain  at  his  side,  u  and  if  we  do  not  see  any  of  the  Con- 
federate rascals  who  are  turning  their  attention  to  this 
quarter,  we  will  soon  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  line  I" 

The  manner  of  Mr.  Yale  showed  that  he  regarded  Capt. 
Willis  with  the  utmost  respect  and  esteem.  The  girl's 
silent  reception  of  him  was  still  more  flattering,  the  color 
coming  and  going  in  her  clear  cheeks,  and  her  eyes  spark- 
ling with  an  appreciative  light.  It  was  clear  that  while 
Mr.  Yale  and  our  hero  were  firm  friends,  the  daughter  and 
the  young  commander  were  lovers. 

The  question  of  meeting  Confederate  pirates  was  discuss- 
ed in  all  it3  bearings,  an!  Mr.  Yale  then  withdrew  to  the 
cabin,  telling  Ethel  not  tj  remain  too  long  in  the  evening 
air. 

Arm  in  arm,  the  young  couple  strolled  up  and  down  the 
deck,  Ethel  inquiring  the  probable  depth  of  the  ocean  at 
that  point,  the  distance  to  the  nearest  land,  the  length  of  a 
voyage  between  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  and  Boston,  etc. 
Together  they  watched  the  moon-light  playing  on  the 
waves,  the  flight  of  the  sea-gulls,  and  the  dashing  of  tho 
billows. 

Say  what  they  would,  however,  it  was  evident  that  they 
had  not  yet  given  full  expression  to  the  emotions  of  their 
souls. 

The  truth  was,  they  were  only  just  awakening  to  the  fact 
that  they  were  all  the  world  to  each  other. 

They  had  known  each  other  for  years — ever  since  our 
hero  had  shipped  as  a  cabin-boy  on  one  of  Mr.  Yale's  ves- 
dels — but  it  was  only  since  the  commencement  of  the  pre- 


10  THE   TRACK    OF    FIKS 

sent  voyage  that  "they  had  become  intimately  acquainted 
with  each  other. 

"  Do  }Tou  ever  think  of  the  past,  Ethel  ?"  asked  Capt. 
"Willis,  after  a  somewhat  awkward  pause,  during  which  ho 
seemed  to  be  schooling  some  deep  emotion.  "  Do  yon 
remember  when  I  was  a  cabin-boy,  and  Capt.  Brown  used 
to  send  me  with  messages  to  your  father,  and  you  used  to 
talk  so  kindly  to  me  and  wish  that  you  could  be  a  sailor  ? 
Notwithstanding  the  years  that  have  passed  since  then,  I 
recollect  all  those  events  as  freshly  as  if  they  were  of  yes- 
terday," 

"  And  so  do  I!"  responded  Ethel,  warmly.  "Those  days 
often  recur  to  me.  I  remember  that,  on  one  of  these  visits, 
when  I  was  studying  a  difficult  French  lesson,  }rou  assisted 
me,  to  father's  great  surprise.  It  was  that  ability  that  first 
determined  him  to  look  after  your  advancement." 

"  Your  father  has  been  very  kind  to  me,  Ethel " 

"  That  is  because  you  have  been  very  deserving,  Ed- 
ward,,' she  quicklv  replied.  "  Father  merely  recognized 
your  merit !" 

The  honest  face  of  Capt.  Willis  betrayed  the  effect  of 
these  kind  assurances  upon  him.  He  looked  tenderly  at 
his  companion,  drawing  her  nearer  to  him,  and  seemed 
about  to  make  a  declaration  of  his  love  to  her,  when  a  light 
suddenly  flashed  upon  her  sight,  from  a  point  at  a  great  dis- 
tance, almost  directly  in  his  course. 

';  What  can  it  be  ?  A  signal,  or  a  burning  ship  ?"  asked 
the  girl. 

Cap:.  Willis  looked  anxious. 

"  It  looks  like  a  burning  ship,"  he  replied.  Excuse  me  a 
moment.     I  will  get  my  glass  and  call  Mr.  Yale  !" 

The  merchant  was  soon  regarding  the  phenomenon,  and 
exchanging  speculations  with  Capt.  Willis  and  Ethel,  all 
considerably  excited. 

The  glass  revealed  nothing  at  first,  but  ere  long  distinctly, 
as  the  flames  grew  larger,  and  the  ship  drew  nearer  to  it,  Capt 
Willis  perceived  that  the  light  was  occasioned  by  the  burn- 


OK,    A    CRUISE    WITII    THE    TIRATE    SEMMES.  11 

ing  of  a  ship,  the  masts  and  rigging  being  revealed  in  a 
sheet  of  fire. 

He  exchanged  anxious  glances  with  Mr.  Vale,  observing : 

"  That  looks  like  the  presence  of  our  enemies  !•" 

Mr.  Vale  looked  through  the  glass  a  moment,  and  then 
laid, 

"  Clearly,  a  ship  is  on  fire.  It  may  bo  a  decoy  or  not. 
Capt.  Semmes,  of  the  Alabama,  is  reported  to  be  in  this 
vicinity,  and  it  may  be  that  this  is  one  of  his  traps  to  catch 
us!" 

An  earnest  consultation  followed,  in  which  Ethel  took 
part.  The  question  to  be  decided  was  whether  to  approach 
the  burning  ship  or  not. 

"  The  case  stands  like  this,"  finally  said  Mr.  Yale.  "  If  the 
burning  ship  is  an  honest  trader,  we  ought  to  go  to  her 
relief.  If  the  thing  is  a  Confederate  trap,  and  we  lose  our 
vessel,  why,  I  can  afford  it.  I  mean  by  this  that  I  had 
rather  take  the  risk  of  this  I033  than  the  risk  of  neglecting 
a  score  or  more  of  perishing  fellow-creatures  in  their 
extremity !" 

Cap-t.  Willis  and  Ethel  both  approved  of  this  generous 
decision,  and  the  former  gave  orders  for  the  ship  to  bo 
kept  away  towards  the  scene  of  disaster. 

"  I  see  nothing  of  any  second  vessel — of  any  steamer  in 
waiting,"  proceeded  Mr.  Tale,  after  a  long  and  anxious  die-. 
cusaion  of  the  whole  subject.  "At  the  worst,  if  we  fall 
into  the  hands  of  the  pirates,  they'll  send  us  ashore  at  the 
Cape  or  elsewhere,  and  our  misfortunes  will  he  chiefly  felt 
in  my  pockets.  On  the  whole,  we'd  proceed  to  the  scene 
of  trouble  !" 

The  noble  clipper  rapidly  shortened  the  distance  between 
her  and  the  burning  vessel.  Her  crew  prepared  to  launch 
the  boats,  collected  ropes,  and  made  other  dispositions  that 
seemed  likely  to  be  useful.  She  was  at  length  sufficiently 
near  to  the  conflagration  for  Mr.  Yale  and  Capt.  Willis  to 
take  the  alarm — to  see  that  there  was  no  one  visible  on  the 
burning  vessel. 


12  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE  J 

"It looks  like  a  trap  !"'  said  the  latter.  "We  had  better 
stand  clear  of  it  I" 

Even  as  he  spoke,  a  murmur  of  alarm  arose  from  the 
crew  of  the  Ocean  Cloud,  and  a  steamer  was  seen  moving 
swif try  towards  her. 

The  waiting*  spider  had  detected  the  presence  cf  its 
victim. 

"  It's  the  Alabama"  exclaimed  Capt.  Willis,  "  and  she  sees 
us!" 

He  put  the  clipper  about  and  endeavored  to  escape,  but 
a  cannon-ball  tore  across  her  deck,  very  seriously  imperiling    ] 
both  Mr.  Yale  and  his  daughter,  and   the   piratical  cruiser    | 
overhauled  her  so  rapidly  that  the  hopelessness  of  her  plight    j 
was  speedily  apparent. 

.  "  There's  no  use  of  resistance,  Edward,"  said  Mr.  Yale. 
"  We  cannot  save  the  vessel,  nor  prevent  them  from  taking 
us  prisoners.  Any  attempts  to  do  so  will  only  anger  them. 
We  will  surrender!" 

The  ship  was  hove  to,  and  the  steamer  came  alongside  of 
her.  A  boat's  crew  soon  came  aboard  of  the  prize,  with 
Capt.  Semmes  at  its  head. 

"  Where's  the  commander  of  this  ship  ?"  asked  the  Con- 
federate captain. 

Mr.  Yale  indicated  our  hero  by  a  gesture. 

"  Yery  well,  sir.  I  will  trouble  you  to  produce  your 
papers !" 

"Never  mind  the  papers!"  replied  Capt  Willis,  who 
could  hardly  contain  himself  under  the  pirates  insolent  air. 
"We  sail  under  the  flag  of  the  United  States,  and  hail  from 
Boston !" 

Semmes  uttered  an  oath,  expressive  of  his  deep  satisfac- 
tion at  this  assurance,  and  then  said  : 

"  Such  being  your  character,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  in- 
forming you  that  you  are  prisoners  of  war  to  the  Confeder- 
ate States,  steamer  Alabama,  Capt.  Semmes !" 

Mr.  Yale  proposed  to  the  captor  to  bond  the  vessel,  and 
allow  her  to  proceed  on  her  voyage. 

"  That  business  is  played  out,"  was  the  response  to  this 


OP.,    A    CRUISE    'WITII    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  13 

proposition.  "  I  have  adopted  the  system  of  destroying 
overy  Yankee  vessel  I  encounter.  Still,  you  can  show  me 
your  documents,  and  I  will  decide  what  to  do  with  you." 

Capt.  Willis  produced  the  ship's  papers,  and  Semmes  ran 
his  eye  over  them. 

"  I  want  a  part  of  your  cargo  for  my  own  use,"  he  mutter- 
ed. "All  things  considered,  I  think  I'll  burn  the  vessel ! 
The  fire  she'll  make  may  bring  another  to  me !" 

"  Is  this  decision  irrevocable?" 

14  Entirely  so.  I  never  allow  any  whining  to  effect  me. 
And  I  will  now  trouble  you  to  attend  me  to  my  vessel. 
Sorry  to  trouble  you,  lady,  he  added,  bowing  to  Ethel,  "  but 
such  is  the  fortunes  of  war.  You  can  take  your  wardrobe, 
•and  airy  little  trinkets  that  may  he  in  your  possession.  We 
always  soften  these  inconveniences  all  we  can  to  a 
woman  1" 

By  this  time  the  steamer  had  laid  herself  alongside  the 
ship,  in  obedience  to  the  orders  of  Capt  Semmes,  and  a 
dozen  of  his  followers  gathered  around  him,  and  were  soon 
engaged  in  removing  the  cargo  of  the  Ocean  Cloud  to  her 
captor,  with  all  the  noise  and  rejoicing  incidental  to  such  a 
scene — Capt  Willis,  Mr.  Vale  and  Ethel,  with  the  mates  and 
crew  of  the  clipper,  were  all  transferred  to  the  deck  of  the 
Alabama. 

44  Your  men,  captain,"  said  Semmes  to  our  hero,  "  will  have 
to  take  their  chance  in  the  hold.  You  two  and  the  lady  can 
remain  in  my  cabin  for  the  present !" 

He  led  the  way  in  that  direction,  and  the  trio  .followed 
him,  Capt.  Willis  endeavoring  to  obtain  better  quarters  for 
his  men. 

"  I  hear  that  the  hold  of  your  vessel  is  a  hard  place,  Capt. 
Semmes,"  he  finally  declared,  in  plain  terms. 

"  I  can't  help  that,"  was  the  reply,  uttered  in  a  tone  of 
irritation.  44  Prisoners  of  war  caDnot  very  well  be  allowed 
to  be  choosers  !" 

With  this  Semmes  hurried  forth  to  look  after  the  pro- 
ceedings of  his  men,  leaving  the  trio  in  possession  of  the 
cabin. 


14  THE    TRACK    OF   FIRE  ; 

The  Ocean  Cloud  was  promptly  cleared  of  the  best  part 
of  her  cargo,  and  then  fired,  the  steamer  standing  away 
from  her.  Semmes  waited  and  watched  anxiously,  hoping 
that  another  prize  would  be  thrown  into  his  hands,  but  this 
hope  was  disappointed. 

"  Well,  better  luck  next  time,"  he  remarked,  when  the 
ship  had  burned  to  the  water's  edge.  "  Perhaps  111  make 
up  for  this  ill-luck  to-morrow !" 

He  returned  to  the  cabin,  showed  his  prisoners  where 
they  could  sleep,  exchanged  a  few  words  with  them,  and 
retired  to  his  state-room,  locking  himself  in. 

A  cry  of  rejoicing  came  from  the  steamer's  deck,  a  few 
minutes  later. 

The  charred  hull  of  the  noble  ship,  which  had  so  lately 
been  "  Walking  the  waters  like  a  thing  of  life,"  had  disap- 
peared forever  beneath  the  surface  of  the  ocean. 

"  Shall  we  try  to  sleep,  dear  father  ?"  asked  Ethel,  who 
had  watched  all  these  scenes  in  silent  grief.  "  I  do  not 
wish  to  be  separated  from  you,  even  for  a  moment.  How 
terrible  all  this  plundering  and  burning  is !  "What  will 
they  do  with  us  ?  Is  there  any  danger  that  they  will  sepa- 
rate us  V 

Before  Mr.  Yale  could  reply,  Lieut.  Murlick,  who  had 
been  superintending  the  business  of  the  hour — the  removal 
of  the  cargo,  the  securing  of  the  prisoners,  and  the  burning 
of  the  ship — came  into  the  cabin. 

His  eyes  met  those  of  Mr.  Yale,  the  two  men  standing  in 
such  a  position  that  the  rays  of  the  cabin-lamp  fell  fully  and 
equally  upon  them. 
;     They  started  with  mutual  exclamations  : 

"  Abner  Murlick !" 

"  Jacob  Yale !" 

The  lieutenant  then  bent  a  searching  glance  upon  Ethel, 
and  retreated  abruptly  to  the  deck,  while  the  merchant 
sank  into  a  chair,  terribly  moved  by  the  unexpected  meet- 
ing. 

"That's  your  mother's  rejected  suitor,  Ethel !"  he  whis- 
pered  to    the  maiden,  as  soon  as  he   could  command  hia 


OR,    A    CTXISE    WITH    THE    PIRATK    SRMMES.  15 

emotions — "  The  enemy  of  whom  [  was  speaking  to  you 
this  very  evening — the  man  your  mother  and  I  suspected 
of  having  abducted  your  lost  brother !" 


~~o«~ 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN    CLOSE   QUARTERS. 

The  strangeness  of  the  meeting  between  Mr.  Vale  and 
Murlick — the  lapse  of  time  since  they  had  met — the  sus- 
picions attaching  to  the  lieutenant  respecting  the  merchants 
missing  boy — the  evils  the  Yale's  had  to  apprehend  from 
their  enemy — all  these  subjects  formed  the  basis  of  a  most 
exciting  discussion  between  Ethel  and  her  father. 

But  no  light  came  from  this  exchange  of  ideas. 

The  anxious  inquiries  rising  to  the  lips  of  father  and 
daughter  remained  unanswered. 

Had  this  evil-minded  man  really  abducted  Eugene  Yale  ? 
If  so,  what  had  been  done  wifh  him  ?  Had  he  grown  up  in 
ignorance  and  in  misery  ?  Had  the  abductor  'malicieusly 
placed  him  in  the  lowest  walks  of  life,  or  turned  his  young 
steps  into  wickedness  ? 

The  cold  sweat  of  mental  anguish  appeared  on  Mr.  Yalo'3 
brow,  as  he  considered  these  questions. 

"  Not  only  is  this  man  resting  like  an  incubus  on  my  past, 
Ethel,"  he  said,  "but  he  gives  a  dark  and  menacing  aspect 
to  our  whole  future !  What  if  he  should  transfer  to  you 
the  bitter  hatred  he  bore  your  mother !" 

Capt.  Willis  had  heard  enough  of  the  conversation  to  learn 
that  there  was  some  mystery  between  his  friends  and  the 
dark-faced  lieutenant. 

"  Don't  go,  Edward,"  said  Mr.  Yale,  as  the  young  com- 
mander arose  with  the  intention  of  excusing  himself  and 
withdrawing.  "  We  have  no  privacy  from  you.  I  will  tell 
you  the  whole  story !" 

He  hastened  to  do  so. 


16  TH>:    TRACK    OF    FIRE  ; 

"  This  places  us  in  an  awkward  position,"  was  our  hero's 
comment.  "Still,  I  Think  that  this  man  has  not  influence 
nor  authority  enough  to  harm  us.  Capt.  Semmes  has  the 
reputation  of  being  aa  much  of  a  gentleman  as  his  profes- 
sion will  allow  him  to  be,  and  we  may  hope  that  he  will  not 
permit  his  subordinate  to  molest  us.  Moreover,  there  may 
be  something  Providential  in  your  meeting.  The  mystery 
respecting  the  disappearance  of  your  son  may  be  cleared 
up.  If  your  suspicions  are  well-founded,  the  fact  will  natu- 
rally appear  in  this  man's  deportment !" 

The  captives  spent  some  time  in  conversing  upon  this 
subject,  and  then  retired  for  the  night.  They  slept  but 
little,  and  were  stirring  at  daylight.  At  the  breakfast-table 
they  met  Lieut.  Murlick,  who  glanced  at  Mr.  Vale  and  our 
hero,. and  bestowed  a  long  and  searching  look  upon  Ethel, 
the  effect  of  which  was  to  bring  a  singular  glean  of  admi- 
ration to  his  eyes.  The  repast  was  nearly  concluded,  and 
Capt.  Semmes  himself  had  retired  from  the  table,  When  the 
villian  leaned  forward  and  said  to  the  merchant : 

"  We  were  enemies,  Mr.  Tale,  years  ago,  but  the  circum- 
stances under  which  we  meet  would  disarm  all  bitterness, 
if  I  felt  any.     While  you  remain  here,  we  can  be  civil !" 

"Just  so,  sir,"  replied  Mr.  Vale,  understandingly.  "You 
have  my  thanks  for  your  consideration !" 

The  prisoners  went  on  deck  after  breakfast,  and  Capt. 
Willis  paid  his  men  a  visit,  assuring  himself  that  they  were 
as  comfortable  as  they  could  be  in  the  close  and  filthy  hold 
into  which  they  had  been  thrust.  They  were  mostly  in 
irons,  and  the  subordinate  officer  in  charge  of  them  remark- 
ed, that,  Semmes  always  treated  his  prisoners  in  this  manner, 
to  prevent  them  from  rising  against  him  and  his  crew  and 
seizing  the  steamer. 

The  Alabama  had  already  renewed  her  hunt  foi  American 
vessels,  and  had  a  couple  of  seamen  aloft  scouring  the  sur- 
face of  the  ocean  with  glasses.  By  the  middle  of  the  fore- 
noon a  couple  of  sails  were  announced,  but  one  of  them 
proved  to  be  a  British  trader,  and  the  other  a  Dutch  man-of- 
war.     It  wa3  not  till  near  nightfall  that  Semmes  encountered 


TELE   OCEAN    CLOUD    IN   FLAMES. 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE   PIRATE   SEMME3.  17 

a  prize,  a  New  York  bark,  fresh  from  Manilla  with  one-third 
of  a  cargo  of  East  Indian  productions.  As  usual,  the  Con- 
federates fired  the  vessel  soon  after  dark,  and  waited  for  the 
decoy  to  bring  other  victims  to  them,  but  none  came. 

The  following  day  Semmes  shaped  his  course  for  Mauri- 
tius, and  kept  a  strict  lookout  for  prey,  but  nor  a  single  Ame- 
rican ship  was  encountered.  It  was  natural,  perhaps,  that 
he  should  feel  chagrined  at  this  ill-luck. 

During  these  two  days  Lieutenant  Murlick  had  made  a 
pretence  of  being  busy,  and  had  not  uttered  any  further  re- 
marks to  Mr.  Vale.  The  suspicious  and  anxious  father  had 
Ho  trouble,  however,  in  observing  that  the  evil  eyes  of  his 
enemy  remained  fixed  on  Ethel  every  instant  she  was  on  deck 
or  otherwise  visible. 

The  third  day  proved  more  auspicious  to  Capt.  Semmes, 
quite  a  fleet  of  vessels  encountering  the  steamer.  The  most 
of  these  ships  were  foreign,  or  under  foreign  flags,  but  three 
of  them  were  American,  two  belonging  in  Boston,  and  one 
in  New  York, 

"  This  looks  like  doing  busineas,"  said  Semmes  to  Murlick 
as  they  were  superintending  tli£  preparations  for  a  grand 
conflagration  of  the  vessels,  one  after  another.  "  These 
three  ships  and  their  cargoes,  with  the  trifle  of  specie  we'vo 
taken,  must  be  worth  near  a  million  of  dollars  !" 

Again  Semmes  lighted  up  his  track  with  a  huge  fire,  and 
waited  in  the  background  for  an  additional  victim,  but  he 
was  again  disappointed. 

"  The  fact  is,"  he  commented,  regarding  the  smouldering 
and  sinking  hull  of  the  last  vessel,  "  our  fame  has  preceded 
us  to  these  waters,  and  the  Yankees  are  cautious.  If  they 
see  or  fires  they  steer  clear  of  them !" 

In  two  of  these  latest  captures  there  had  been  several 
lady  passengers,  enough  te  fill  up'every  state  room  in  the 
cabin  that  was  not  wanted  by  the  officers  of  the  steamer. 
Capt.  Semmes  accordingly  concluded,  after  a  conversation 
with  Lieut.  Murlick,  to  send  Mr.  Yale  and  Capt.  Willis  below. 
,;  Perhaps  the  young  lady  will  object  to  being  separated 
from  her  friends,"  suggested  Murlick 


18  THE   TRACK   OF    FIRE  ; 

"  She'll  have  to  do  as  the  rest  of  the  women  do,"  replied 
Semmes.  "  It's  no  place  for  her  down  there,  that's  certain  1 
You'll  see  to  this  transfer  at  once  !" 

As  Murlick  turned  away,  a  look  singularly  expressive  of 
satisfaction  appeared  on  his  visage. 

"  That  is  a  step  in  the  right  direction,"  he  muttered.  "  I 
wanted  to  get  them  separated  !" 

He  entered  the  cabin,  where  Mr.  Vale  was  conversing  with 
Ethel  and  Capt.  Willis. 

"  I  am  sorry  Mr.  Vale  to  be  the  bearer  of  bad  news  to  you," 
he  said,  bowing  politely,  and  speaking  in  tones  of  pretended 
sympathy,"  but  Capt.  Semmes  has  ordered  you  to  be  confin- 
ed with  your  men  in  the  hold !" 

A  general  expression  of  regret  followed.  Ethel  cciuld  not 
restrain  her  tears. 

"  What  is  the  cause  of  this  proceeding,  Lieutenant  Mur- 
lick ?"  asked  the  merchant. 

"  It's  merely  owing  to  the  want  of  accommodations.  Those 
ladies  who  fell  into  our  hands  this  afternoon  want  all  the 
room  there  is  in  the  cabin!" 

"  Then  I  can  go  below  with  my  father,"  said  Ethel  advanc- 
ing, and  addressing  herself  directly  to  Murlick.  u  I  do  not 
wish  to  be  separated  from  my  friends !" 

"  Sorry,  Miss  Vale,  as  I  said,"  rejoined  the   Lieutenant' 
again  bowing,  "  but  the  orders  of  Captain  Semmes  are  ex- 
plicit.    He  cannot  allow  you  in  the  hold,  for  it  is  already  ' 
packed  to  overflowing." 

';  And  yet  you  expect  my  father  and  Captain  Willis  to  go 
there  ?" 

"  Oh,  they're  men,  and  can  do  as  the  rest  do,  but  I  assure 
you  that  the  hold  is  no  place  for  a  woman.  You  had  better 
take  the  matter  quietly.  In  a  day  or  two  some  change  for 
the  better  will  probably  be  made  !" 

The  trio  talked  the  proposed  movement  over  among  them- 
selves, and  Mr.  Vale  finally  went  on  deck,  and  appealed  to 
Capt.  Semmes.  The  Confederate  Commander  gruffly  replied 
that  he  could  not  revoke  the  orders  that  ho  had  given  to  his 
executive  officer.  ^ 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  19 

"  What  would  you  have  me  do  ?"  he  concluded,  some- 
what petulantly.  "  You  cannot  in  reason  expect  me  to  do 
better  by  you.  With  such  a  number  of  prisoners  as  are 
now  in  our  hands,  we  cannot  be  too  guarded.  You  will 
have  the  goodness  to  go  below,  sir.  As  to  your  daughter, 
she  shall  be  treated  as  well  as  our  means  will  permit — as 
well  as  any  of  the  ladies  we  have  taken  !" 

Mr.  Yale  returned  to  his  daughter,  announcing  the  result. 
Ethel  gave  way  to  her  emotions,  expressing  her  opinion  of 
the  captors  in  plain  terms. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  seem  harsh,"  observed  Murlick,  in  the 
same  quiet  and  hypocritical  tones  in  which  he  had  before 
spoken,  "  but  I  must  remind  you  that  other  duties  are  press- 
ing upon  me,  and  that  I  am  waiting  to  show  you  the  way 
to  the  hold !" 

He  turned  away,  moving  towards  the  entrance,  but  took 
good  care  to  note  the  particulars  of  the  scene  that  followed 
— the  tender  parting  of  Ethel  from  her  father  and  Capt. 
Willis.  The  emotion  with  which  she  took  the  hand  of  the 
latter,  and  laid  her  head  on  his  breast,  gave  the  scheming 
confederate  a  very  just  idea  of  the  feelings  existing  be- 
tween the  young  couple,  and  brought  a  deadly  gleam  to  his 
eyes. 

"  Be  brave,  my  daughter  !"  whispered  Mr.  Yale,  embrac- 
ing her.     '•  These  days  of  trial  will  soon  be  over!" 

The  parting  was  saddening,  and  Ethel  could  not  restrain 
her  tears,  but — her  mind  once  made  up  to  the  hopelessness 
of  attempting  resistance  or  asking  for  mercy — she  comport- 
ed herself  in  the  most  resolute  manner.  With  a  tender  and 
affectionate  leave-taking,  the  merchant  and  the  young  cap- 
tain followed  Murlick  to  the  hold. 

'•  As  I  remarked,"  said  the  lieutenant,  "  we  are  getting 
well  filled  up  with  involuntary  passengers.  Sorry  our 
accommodations  are  no  better.  Can  only  hope  that  some- 
thing will  soon  occur  to  your  advantage.  For  the  present, 
in  pursuance  of  the  orders  of  Capt.  Semmes,  I  must  chain 
yon  to  each  other  and  to  3rour  fellow  prisoners    ■    " 

"  Chain  us  ?"  interrupted  Mr.  Yale,  indignantly. 


20  THE    TRACK   OF    FIRE  ; 

"Yes,  chain  you.  ,  That  is  the  only  way,  according  to 
Capt.  Semines,  that  we  can  make  sure  of  so  many  prisoners. 
I  regret  this  measure  as  much  as  you  do,  but  the  safety  of 
the  vessel  seems  to  require  it." 

He  chained  the  prisoners  closely,  and  left  them,  "with  a 
hurried  adieu.  The  entrance  of  the  two  men  had  called 
forth  a  variety  of  ejaculations  from  the  young  captain's 
crew,  to  which  he  now  responped. 

The  scene  of  which  our  hero  and  Mr.  Vale  had  thus  be- 
come features — the  prison-hold  of  the  Alabama — has 
become  as  famous  in  its  way,  or  rather  infamous,  as  the 
Libby  prison,  at  Richmond,  so  that  we  may  as  well  briefly 
describe  it. 

It  was  immediately  under  the  main-deck  of  the  steamer, 
around  the  main  hatch.  It  had  the  width  of  the  vessel,  and 
was  between  thirty-five  and  forty  feet  in  length.  Close, 
dark  and  ill-ventilated,  under  the  best  of  circumstances,  it 
had  become  doubly  disagreeable  and  unhealthy  under  the 
tropical  sun,  particularly  since  so  many  prisoners  had  been 
huddled  together  in  it.  It  contained  no  berths,  no  sky-lights, 
no  beds,  no  blankets. 

In  this  filthy  den  at  the  moment  Mr.  Yale  and  Capt. 
"Willis  were  thus  introduced  into  it,  were  crowded  sixty  or 
seventy  men  of  all  ages,  colors  and  conditions. 

Two  or  three  of  them  were  sick  ;  others  were  attempting 
to  read  by  the  light  of  a  lantern  hanging  against  the  wall ; 
and  still  others  were  bemoaniug  their  captivity  and  com- 
plaining of  its  annoyances  and  miseries. 

The  air  in  this  living  grave  was  fetid  and  feverish,  and 
the  prisoners  fairly  reeked  in  this  close  confinement,  a  hot 
sweat  breaking  out  on  almost  every  face  present. 

"An  accursed  hole,  trulv  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  A' ale,  as  soon 
as  he  had  realised  his  surroundings.  "  How  can  any  person 
pretending  to  be  civilized  thrust  a  fellow-being  into  such  a 
place  as  this  V* 

He  thought  of  Ethel,  with  a  moan  of  anguish,  and  sank 
down  at  the  feet  of  Capt.  Willis,  momentarily  unnerved  by 
the  horrors  of  his  situation. 


OR,  A    CRUISE   WITH   THE    PIRATE    SEMME8.  21 

"  Tho  scene  has  changed  since  our  boys  were  brought 

here,"  replied  our  hero.     "  This  overcrowding  is  horrible  !" 

Mr.  Vale  recovered  his  self-possession. 

"  Well,  let  us  hope  that  sonic  good  will  come  to  us  out  of 

all  this  evil,"  he  said.     "  Perhaps  these  steps  are  leading  us 

to  the  discovery  of  the  mystery  respecting  my  lost  boy  !" 

"Heaven  grant  it!"  exclaimed  Capt.  Willis.  "By  the 
way,  Mr.  Tale,  did  you  see  the  middy  who  passed  us  as  we 
came  out  of  the  cabin  ?" 

"No;  what  middy?"  ^ 

"  A  young  fellow,  about  twenty  years  of  age,  who  bears 
a  singular  resemblance  to  you !" 

"To  we?"  responded  Mr.  Yale,  starting  to  his  feet,  and 
becoming  deathly  pale. 

"  Yes.  Thetlv  >ught  occurred  to  me  that  he  might  be  your 
lost  son!" 

For  a  moment  Mr.  Yale  was  unable  to  reply.  It  seemed 
to  him  so  natural  that  Murlick  should  have  kept  the  stolen 
boy  with  him  (in  case  he  was  the  abductor,)  that  the  obser- 
vation of  Capt.  Willis  came  upon  him  with  thrilling  force. 

"I  must  see  to  this  resemblance," lie  finally  ejaculated.  "  I 
feel — I  almost  know  that  there  is  something  in  it !" 


CHAPTER  IV. 

MURLICK    DEVELOPS    HIS    IDEAS    MORE    CLEARLY. 

The  eyes  of  Lieutenqj^Murlick  flashed  wickedly,  and  hi* 
face  looked  fiendish  as  he  reached  the  deck  after  leaving  our 
hero  and  Mr.  Yale  in  irons. 

"  That  gets  them  out  of  my  way,"  he  ejaculated.  "  I  shall 
now  have  time  to  tell  the  fair  captive  what  I  think  of  her." 

As  ho  re-entered  Ethel's  presence,  she  saw  that  a  change 
had  come  over  him— that  he  was  now  openly  cherishing  the 
half-concealed  admiration,  and  vengeful  triumph  he  had  ex- 
perienced  during  the  past  three  days— that  he  now  deemed 
himself  in  a  position  to  reveal  his  infamous  ideas  and 
schemes  to  her. 


22  THE   TRACK    OF    FIEE  ; 

"Well,  Miss  Tale,  here  we  are,"  was  his  insulting  greeting. 
"  Since  the  stern  fortune  of  war  has  taken  your  natural  pro- 
tector from  you,  permit  me  to  do  what  I  can  to  supply  his 
place  to  you. 

His  eyes  had  such  a  villianous  expression  that  the  captive 
could  not  endure  to  look  upon  him.  With  a  stifled  cry  of 
alarm,  she  turned  abruptly  away,  and  locked  herself  up  in 
the  state  room  that  had  been  assigned  to  her. 

The  following  morning  Ethel  wished  to  pay  a  visit  to  her 
father,  and  accordingly  spoke  to  Capt.  Semmes  about  it.  He 
referred  her  to  Lieuttnant  Murlick,  as  the  executive  officer 
of  the  vessel. 

"  I  don't  like  to  deal  with  him,"  she  declared. 

"You  don't  ?  Well  I'm  sorry  for  that,  but  what  can  I  do? 
Take  my  advice,  young  lady,  and  don't  try  to  choose  your 
company  so  long  as  you  remain  in  your  present  position  !'' 

With  this  he  left  her. 

For  an  hour  Ethel  struggled  with  her  antipathy  and  half- 
defined  apprehensions,  and  then  she  went  to  Lieutenant 
Murlick,  and  informed  him  that  she  wished  to  visit  her 
father. 

"  Of  course,  of  course  !"  was  his  response.  "  I  know  your 
loving  heart  would  soon  tafce  you  in  that  direction,  and  I 
shall  be  glad  to  serve  you  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour — as 
soon  as  my  boys  have  put  the  decks  in  order.  You  can  re- 
main in  the  cabin  until  I  come  for  you.'' 

The  interval  thus  passed  seemed  an  age,  but  Murlick  finally 
presented  himself  before  her.  She  noticed  that  he  had 
dressed  himself  with  unusual  car^^ind  that  he  was  more 
smiling  than  she  had  before  seen  him. 

"  I  am  ready  to  conduct  you  to  your  father,  Miss  Yale,"  lie 
said. 

Ethel  acknowledged  the  remark  with  a  stately  inclination 
of  her  head,  and  followed  him  to  the  hold.  She  was  appal- 
led by  the  odors  of  the  place,  and  by  the  spectacle  the  hud- 
dled prisoners  presented. 

My  father  in  such  a  den  as  this !"  she  exclaimed,  with  warm 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITU    THE    1'IRATE    SEMMES.  23 

indignation,  as  her  glances  rested  on  the  sea  of  upturned 
faces.     M  "What  villiany !  what  baseness ! ' 

"  This  way,  daughter,"  said  her  father. 

She  was  shocked  by  the  paleness  of  his  face,  as  she 
bounded  forward  and  was  clasped  to  his  breast. 

'•  How  you  have  suffered,  dear  father,"  she  exclaimed, 
"  and  all  because  your  kind  heart  prompted  you  to  come  to 
the  supposed  relief  of  others !" 

"  It  is  on  your  account  that  I  have  suffered,  and  not  on 
my  own,"  replied  Mr.  Vale.  "  My  poor  child!  What  wrong 
and  cruelty  oppress  you  !" 

lie  sobbed  in  his  anguish. 

"  Oh,  for  a  good  breath  of  air!"  he  continued,  after  a 
pause, — "  for  room  to  move  about — for  a  glimpse  of  the  sky 
or  the  ocean  !  It  is  needless  cruelty  to  shut  men  up  in  this 
manner !" 

Ethel  fixed  upon  Murlick  such  a  stern  look  of  rebuke, 
that  ho  felt  called  upon  to  say  something  apologetical. 

"  We  shall  take  t^e  hatch  off  presently,  and  lower  a  bar- 
rel of  water  with  rations,"  he  said.  "  There  will  then  be 
more  air." 

Ethel  now  turned  to  Capt.  Willis,  who  had  silently  taken 
her  hand,  and  was  waiting  for  a  greeting  from  her. 

"  And  you,  Capt.  Willis,  how  pale  you  are !"  she  mur- 
mured. "  I  have  been  awake  all  night,  thinking  of  your 
horrible  situation." 

"  And  we  have  been  equally  anxious  about  you !" 

The  tenderness  with  which  our  hero  uttered  this  res- 
ponse caused  the  maiden  to  tremble  with  emotion. 

A  touching  scene  followed. 

Mr.  Yale  did  not  say  anything  about  the  mysterious  mid- 
dy, etc.,  on  account  of  the  uncertainty  of  those  subjects. 

Lieut.  Murlick,  as  may  well  be  imagined,  kept  his  eyes 
and  ears  open,  and  the  manner  of  the  young  couple  towards 
each  other  was  sufficiently  suggestive  to  him. 

He  saw  that  they  were  really  lovers,  whether  confessedly 
so  or  not,  and  the  knowledge  moved  him  greatly. 


24  THE   TRACK    OF    FIRE  ; 

His  face  flushed  with  a  hot  gust  of  passion,  and  a  gleam 
of  infernal  meaning  appeared  in  his  eyes. 

"  You  must  go  now,  darling,"  said  Mr.  Vale,  after  a  brief 
season  of  communion  with  Ethel.  "  The  air  is  very  close 
here,  and  I  am  afraid  you  will  take  the  fever  I" 

"God  be  with  you!"  said  our  hero.  "Keep  up  your 
courage,  darling !  Be  the  brave  little  heart  I  have  ever 
found  you !" 

"I  will  speak  to  Capt.  Semmes,  and  have  you  brought  on 
deck,  if  possible,"  said  the  maiden.  "  I  will  bo  hopeful. 
But  you  must  both  be  hopeful  also !" 

A  few  further  expressions  of  encouragement  were  ex- 
changed, and  Ethel  returned  to  the  deck,  dismissing  Murlick 
with  a  bow. 

She  saw  Capt.  Semmes  and  implored  him  to  allow  her 
father  and  Capt.  Willis  the  freedom  of  the  deck,  but  her  ap- 
plication was  fruitless. 

"Give  one  man  such  a  privilege,  "  was  the  commander's 
concluding  remark,  "  and  all  will  want  it.  Your  friends 
shall  not  long  remain  in  confinement.  I  shall  send  them 
ashore  as  soon  as  I  get  over-crowded !" 

This  assurance  was  the  first  consoling  word  she  had  had 
from  him.     She  thanked  him,  and  returned  to  the  cabin. 

Capt.  Semmes  continued  his  hunt  during  the  day.  He 
boarded  several  vessels,  and  captured  one — a  ship  belong- 
ing in  Philadelphia.  At  night,  he  had  his  conflagration,  as 
usual,  but  gained  no  additional  victim  by  it. 

This  day  was  a  continual  pang  to  Ethel,  as  to  her  father 
and  Capt.  "Willis.  She  remained  constantly  in  the  cabin, 
affording  such  consolation  to  the  other  lady  prisoners  as 
her  superior  intellect  and  firmness  enabled  her  to  impart  to 
them.  She  encountered  Murlick  at  meals  and  every  time 
she  went  on  deck,  and  his  eyes  followed  her  movements, 
but  he  did  not  actually  insult  her.  After  another  long  night 
of  anguish  and  restlessness,  she  resolvod  again  to  see  her 
father  and  Capt.  Willis. 

"  la  there    no  way    of   obtaining  their  enlargement   of 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH    THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  25 

Capt.  Scmmos  ?"  she  inquired  of  Murlick,  after  stating  her 
wishes. 

"May  be,  "ho  replied,  with  his  eyes  resting  upon  the 
maiden's  lovely  face  in  a  stare  of  wrapt  admiration.  "  Capt. 
fiemmes  might  say  yes,  if  I  were  to  champion  their  cause." 

u  Will  you  speak  a  word  for  them  ?" 

"That  depends  on  yourself!"  he  pointedly  replied. 

"  On  me  ?     How  ?" 

"  Why,  if  you  treat  me  in  a  friendly  manner,  I  will  recip- 
rocate. It  cannot  be  unknown  to  you  that  I  am  the  execu- 
tive officer  of  this  vessel.  Neither  can  it  be  unknown  to 
you  that  I  can  give  your  friends  the  liberty  of  the  deck,  if  I 
choose  to  do  so  !" 

This  was  putting  the  case  plainly.  Ethel  opened  her 
eyes,  both  literally  and  figuratively. 

"  Well,  why  have  you  not  done  so,"  6he  demanded.  "You 
have  seen  my  anguish — you  knew  how  they  suffered  !" 

Murlick  smiled  grimly. 

"  Really,  you  have  not  put  yourself  in  communication  with 
me,"  he  said.  "  How  can  we  do  favors  for  people  who  dis- 
dain to  speak  to  us?  True,  I  might  have  proceeded  to 
serve  you,  on  my  own  authority,  under  the  assumption  that 
such  and  such  a  course  would  be  agreeable  to  you — but, 
really,  that  is  not  the  regular  way  of  getting  at  such  matters. 
In  a  word,  if  you  want  my  good  offices,  you  can  at  least  ask 
me  civilly  for  thein  !" 

Ho  chuckled  to  himself  wickedly,  by  way  of  conclusion, 
lie  felt  that  ho  had  spoken  sagaciously— that  he  had,  in  fact, 
deftly  paved  the  way  for  a  more  intimate  acquaintance  with 
the  captive. 

"  To  tell  the  truth,  Lieut.  Murlick,"  replied  Ethel,  "  I  did 
not  suppose  it  would  do  any  good  to  ask  your  assistance." 

"  In  other  words,  your  father  has  painted  me  as  a  fiend, 
and  so  caused  you  to  treat  me  as  one  ?  I  regret  your  mis- 
take." - 

The  scheming  villian  had  now  made  hie  authority  suffici- 
ently plain  to  Ethel  for  her  to  be  desirous  of  conciliating 
him.    How  should  she  proceed  ? 


26  .  THE   TRACK   OF    FIRE  ; 

"  My  father  told  me  of  the  difficulty  between  you  and  my 
mother,  years  ago,"  she  said,  "  and  I  naturally  felt  an  aver- 
sion towards  you,  under  the  circumstances  of  our  meeting. 
We  suspected  you,  moreover,  of  having  been  instrumental 
in  the  disappearance  of  my  only  brother,  in  his  in- 
fancy  " 

"  You  suspected  me  ?"  interrupted  Murlick,  starting. 

"  Certainly."  she  boldly  replied.  "  Why  not  ?  You  utter- 
ed threats — many  of  them — which  have  had  no  fulfillment, 
unless  in  that  sad  affliction  !" 

Murlick  paced  back  and  forth  a  few  times,  regarding  the 
maiden  attentively,  and  then  said  : 

"  True,  I  did  utter  some  threats  agaihst  your  parents,  at 
the  period  referred  to,  but  they  were  forgotten  as  soon  as 
uttered.  I  loved  your  mother,  and  was  half-maddened  by 
her  preference  of  your  father,  but  such  emotions  do  not  last. 
A  tender  respect  for  your  mother's  memory  is  the  only  sen- 
timent with  which  I  recall  all  those  matters  !" 

"  And  you  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  abducting  of  my 
brother  ?" 

"  Nothing.  I  was  in  business  in  New  Orleans,  and  did 
not  even  know  that  your  parents  had  any  children.  I  have 
not  heard  of  ^hem  since  the  summer  after  their  mar- 
riage !" 

Ethel  marked  the  sinister  expression  of  his  face,  and  felt 
that  ne  was  lying,  but  she  did  not  care  to  say  so.  She  mere- 
ly remarked  : 

"  This  is  a  very  gratifying  assurance  1" 

"  Let  it  be  the  basis  of  our  friendship,"  replied  Murlick, 
advancing  towards  her.  "  I  loved  your  mother,  and  had 
the  greatest  admiration  for  her.  Pardon  me  for  adding,  that 
tha  little  I  have  seen  of  you  has  awakened  similar  emo- 
tions. The  affection  I  bore  your  mother  is  transferred  to 
you." 

The  tone  in  which  he  spoke,  his  mien,  and  the  expression 
of  his  face,  all  startled  Ethel.  She  retreated  from  him,  sup- 
pressing a  cry  of  surprise. 


OR,  A   CRUISE  WITII   TIIE   PIRATE   SEMMES.  27 

What  do  you  mean  ?"   she  said.    "  Your  -words — youi 
whole  conduct  is  insulting  !" 

u  Oh,  no  ;  do  not  say  so  !"  he  said,  with  eyes  glowing  like 
live  coals.     "  I  speak  as  a  friend — as  one  who  loves  you." 

"  Sir,  no  more  of  this — not  another  word,  or  I  will  report 
your  conduct  to  Capt.  Seinmes !  Surely  he  will  not  permit 
his  officers  to  insult  his  prisoners  !" 

At  this  instant  Capt.  Semmes  came  out  of  the  cabin. 
Ethel  was  aroused,  not  only  in  resentment  of  Murlick's  con- 
duct, but  also  under  the  conviction  that  he  had  been  (not- 
withstanding his  denial)  concerned  in  the  abduction  of  her 
brother.  She  accordingly  turned  to  the  Confederate  com- 
mander, and  commenced  talking  confidentially  with  him. 

The  manner  in  which  Murlick  met  this  crisis  was  worthy 
of  him  He  waited  quietly,  with  a  glance  of  assumed  pity 
on  his  face  until  Semmes  looked  at  him,  with  a  glance  that 
meant,  "What  is  that  she's  saying?"  and  then  he  tapped  his 
forehead  significantly,  and  turned  aside,  and  scanned  the  sur- 
face of  the  water.  Semmes  soon  shook  ofF  the  maiden,  and 
rejoined  his  subordinate,  while  she  hurried  to  the  cabin. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  this  young  lady,  Lieut.  Murlick?" 
was  the  Captain's  inquiry. 

"Can't  say,  Captain,"  was  the  reply.  I  suspect,  however, 
that  the  anxiety  and  strangeness  of  her  lot  has  touched  her 
in  the  upper  story.  Why,  she  says  that  you  have  stolen  her 
brother  !" 

"The  deuce  she  docs!"  exclaimed  Semmes.  "Ha,  ha!  she 
told  me  that  you  stole  him  £' 

"The  two  men  laughed  uproriously. 

"A  good  joke,"  added  Semmes.  "  She  says  that  her  mother's 
in  love  with  you,  and  that  terrible  threats  were  uttered  by  you, 
and  all  that.  Keep  your  eye  on  her,  Murlick,  and  see  that  she 
does  no  injury  to  herself  or  any  one  else.  "  After  all,"  he 
added,  becoming  serious  "  it's  a  sad  case." 

He  passed  on  to  attend  to  some  duty.  Murlick  looked 
i.  -or  him,  with  a  strangely  jubilant  manner. 

"that's  another  good  move!"  he  muttered.    "He  thinks 


28  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE  | 

she's  insane,  and  will  say  she's  gone  overboard,  should  she 
be  suddenly  missing.     Ha,  ha  !" 

As  he  went  about  his  duties,  it  was  remarked,  that 
he  was  singularly  excited.  And  he  chuckled  frequently  to 
himself  like  one  already  sure  of  the  success  of  some  awful 
scheme. 

The  Alabama  passed  another  unsuccessful  day  steaming 
steadily  towards  Maritius.  The  fright  Murlick  had  given 
Ethel  caused  her  to  remain  secluded  in  her  stateroom,  and 
to  havo  her  dinner  and  supper  brought  to  her  by  a  fellow 
captive.     Her  desolation  and  anguish  may  be  imagined. 

The  next  day  was  more  fortunate  for  the  Confederates. 

Soon  after  daylight,  a  large  ship  was  seen  standing  to  tho 
eastward,  on  the  extreme  horizon,  and  a  lively  and  exciting 
chase  ensued  resulting  in  the  capture  of  the  stranger,  which 
proved  to  belong  in  Boston.  She  had  a  valuable  cargo,  a 
large  crew,  and  ten  or  twelve  passengers,  including  several 
women  and  children.  Placed  in  charge  of  a  prize  crew, 
she  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  Confederate  steamer  during 
the  day,  very  readily  keeping  up  with  her.  The  accession 
of  prisoners  gained  from  this  vessel  filled  the  hold  of  the 
Alabama  to  overflowing,  and  caused  Semmes  to  resolve  on 
sending  them  all  ashore  the  following  day,  in  accordance  with 
his  usual  custom. 

"We  had  better  land  them  at  the  Cape,"  he  said  to  Mur- 
lick, after  the  latter  had  reported  to  him  that  a  couple  of  the 
prisoners  had  died  in  the  hold,  either  of  disease  or  suffoca- 
tion. "We  shall  have  to  use  one  of  our  prizes  for  this  pur- 
pose, of  course.    Shall  we  take  this  clipper  ?" 

Murlick  was  determined  to  prolong  his  associetion  with 
Miss  Yale  just  as  long  as  he  could,  and  he  accordingly 
replied  : 

"  I  would  not  send  them  ashore  now,  nor  until  you  get  a 
poorer  vessel.  Suppose  this  one  shouid  be  recaptured  by 
the  Vanderbilt  or  some  other  federal  cruiser,  on  approach^ 
ing  the  Cape  ?  She's  too  valuable  to  the  Yankees  for  us  to 
run  any  risk  of  restoring  her  to  them.    We'd  better  burn 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE   PIRATE   SEMMES.  29 

her  to-night,  and  take  the  chances  of  getting  another  for  the 
use  of  the  prisoners !" 

This  sinister  advice  was  adopted. 

The  track  of  Semmes  to  the  eastward  was  again  lighted 
up,  immediately  after  night-fall,  by  the  wanton  destruction 
of  his  prize. 

Contrary  to  the  expectation  of  Murlick,  the  light  of  the 
conflagration  brought  a  victim  to  the  scene — a  handsome 
clipper-bark  hailing  from  New  York. 

"  This  is  just  the  craft  for  the  landing  of  the  prisoners," 
observed  Semmes  to  his  lieutenant,  when  the  bark  was 
fully  in  his  possession.  "  We'll  start  her  for  the  shore 
forthwith,  and  you  6hall  have  charge  of  the  whole  matter. 
After  landing  the  prisoners  at  the  Cape,  or  at  Cape  Town, 
just  as  you  choose — you  can  report  to  me  at  our  retreat  at 
the  Dodo  Islands !" 

Murlick  was  placed  quite  at  his  ease  by  learning  that  he 
was  to  have  charge  of  the  prisoners. 
"  Shall  I  start  to-night  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  as  soon  as  we  can  transfer  the  prisoners  to  the 
prize.     See  to  it,  that  they  are  securely  ironed  !" 

The  joy  of  Murlick  was  great,  as  he  superintended  the 
removal  of  the  prisoners  from  the  steamer  to  the  bark.  He 
saw  that  he  would  have  the  Vales  completely  at  his  mercy. 
The  male  prisoners  were  all  put  in  the  hold  of  the  prize, 
and  chained  hand  and  foot,  while  the  ladies  and  children 
were  assigned  places  in  the  cabin.  The  hull  of  the  last 
decoy  had  scarcely  disappeared  beneath  the  waves,  when 
Murlick  reported  to  his  superior  officer  that  he  was  ready 
for  departure. 

"  Well,  I  believe  everything  is  understood  between  us," 
responded  Semmes.  "  I  shall  proceed  to  the  Dodos  in  the 
morning,  and  probably  do  but  little  more  business  until 
you  return  to  us.  I  wish  to  put  a  new  coat  of  paint  on  the 
steamer,  and  otherwise  disguise  her.  Take  care  of  yourself 
and  good-luck  to  youl" 

Murlick  uttered   his  orders  to  his  brother  officers,  and 
"  went  aboard  of  the  bark.    The  crew  detailed  to  her  from 


SO  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE  J 

the  Alabama  went  about  their  duties,  with  a  hearty  cheer, 
and  she  stood  away  before  the  wind  for  Cape  Town.  In  a 
few  minutes  she  was  beyond  sight  or  hearing  from  the 
steamer,  and  Murlick's  lawless  sense  of  freedom  was  com- 
plete. 

Everything  had  gone  to  his  liking ! 

Leaning  over  the  bulwarks  near  him  was  Ethel  Tale,  pale 
and  excited,  in  momentary  expectation  of  some  further  dis- 
play of  his  brutality.  Below,  in  the  darkness  of  the  hold, 
lay  her  father  and  Capt.  Willis,  writhing  in  chains,  and 
overwhelmed  with  the  most  terrible  anxiety  and  foreboding. 
And  around  the  scheming  lieutenant  were  twelve  or  fifteen 
of  his  fellow-ruffians,  all  ready  for  the  execution  of  his 
will.  * 

It  was  no  wonder  that  he  smiled  !  No  wonder  that  his 
eyes  gleamed  savagely,  as  he  whispered  to  himself : 

"  She  is  even  more  beautiful  than  her  mother,  and  I  love 
her  already  far  better  than  I  loved  her  mother  before  her ! 
Lovely  and  enchanting  creature !  she  shall  speedily  be 
mine !" 


CHAPTER  Y. 

A  MOVE  IN  THE  RIGHT    DIRECTION. 

We  must  now  see  how  Capt.  Willis  and  Mr.  Tale  were 
getting  along  in  their  close  quarters. 

After  the  visit  of  Ethel  to  them,  accompanied  by  Murlick, 
they  had  experienced  a  conviction  that  the  villian  meant 
her  and  them  a  positive  evil. 

They  had  sent  for  Capt.  Semmes,  with  the  intention  of 
mentioning  this  apprehension,  but  he  had  been,  thus  far,  too 
busy  to  come  near  them. 

They  had  endeavored  to  learn  something  about  the  mid- 
shipmen who  resembled  the  merchant,  but  in  vain. 

They  had  sent  for  Ethel  repeatedly,  but  their  messages 
K     oot  been  taken  t©  her. 


OB,    A   CRUISE    WITO   THE   TIRATE    SEMMES.  31 

The  horrible  anxieties  which  had  thus  grown  upon  them, 
can  be  imagined. 

After  the  transfer  of  the  prisoners  to  the  bark,  it  was  no 
longer  possible  for  the  father  and  lover  to  doubt  that  Mur- 
lick  meant  them  ill. 

The  scheming  miscreant  had  assured  himself,  with  his  own 
eyes,  that  their  irons  were  sound ;  and  had  taken  care  that 
they  should  not  see  the  maiden  during  the  process  of  their 
removal  from  one  vessel  to  the  other. 

l*he  only  deduction  they  could  make  from  his  conduct  was 
that  he  was  maturing  some  infamous  scheme  against  Ethel 
and  themselves. 

They  were  accordingly  discussing  the  probable  character 
of  his  villiany,  at  the  instant  he  was  expressing  his  vengeful 
glee,  as  recorded. 

How  will  the  blow  come,  Ned  ?"  asked  Mr.  Vale.  "  Will 
he  land  us,  and  retain  Ethel  in  his  custody  ?  Will  he 
threathen  to  set  us  ashore  on  some  desolate  island,  if  she 
does  not  consent  to  marry  him  ?  My  God !  what  is  the 
form  in  which  his  baseness  and  malignancy  will  find  ex- 
pression ?" 

"  It  is  hard  to  say,"  replied  our  hero,  in  a  voice  that  quiv- 
ered with  his  intense  grief  and  anxiet}r.  "  The  only  cer- 
tainty, is  that  he  means  us  evil !  He  will  not  land  us  at  the 
Cape,  with  the  other  prisoners — or,  if  he  does,  he  will  bear 
Ethel  away  with  him.  Now  that  he  is  out  of  Semmes  sight, 
he  we  will  pause  at  nothing  that  feeds  his  revenge  !" 

Mr.  Vale  could  only  groan,  by  way  of  reply. 

Capt.  Willis  was  silent  a  moment,  surveying  the  scene 
around  him — the  prisoners,  the  guard  at  the  entrance,  and 
the  various  objects  in  the  hold,  all  revealed  by  the  dim 
light  of  a  lantern  hanging  against  the  wall.  He  then 
placed  his  lips  to  Mr.  Vale's  ear,  and  whispered : 

"  We  cannot  act  too  soon !" 

¥  True — but  I  see  no  chance  for  action,  What  can  we 
do  ?     What  would  you  say  ?" 

"  We  must  strike  for  our  freedom !" 


32  TIIE   TRACK   OF   FIRE  ; 

The  merchant  started  at  this  brief  communication,  and 
stared  fixedly  at  tho  speaker. 

"  What  is  it  Ned  ?"  he  soon  demanded.  "  Give  me  your 
idea — for  I  see  that  you  have  one  !" 

"  Yes.  Speak  low  and  I  will  tell  you  my  meaning.  I  dis- 
covered soon  after  we  were  put  into  the  hold  of  the  steam- 
er, that  I  could  slip  my  handcuffs  /" 

Mr.  Yale  was  speechless  with  a  joyful  surprise. 

"You  know  I  am  of  slender  build,"  pursued  our  hero, 
"  and  have  a  small  hand.  While  we  were  on  the  steamer, 
surrounded  by  her  whole  crew,  I  did  not  care  to  mention 
the  fact,  lest  I  should  arouse  vain  hopes,  but  there's  no  mis- 
take about  it !" 

"  Well,  what  do  you  propose  to  do  ?" 

"  To  make  a  move  in  the  right  direction.  We  have  had 
enough  of  this  sort  of  things — enough  of  chains  and  separa- 
tion !  I  may  fail — but  I'd  rather  be  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea, 
than  where  I  am  at  this  moment !" 
j"  I  share  tho  feeling,  Ned.  Poor  Ethel !  But  how  will 
you  strike  ?" 

"  Leave  all  to  me.     I'll  take  the  first  step  now." 

He  produced  a  piece  of  fat  pork  he  had  saved  from  the 
soup  furnished  him,  and  greased  his  hands  with  it,  rubbing 
them  till  they  were  moist.  He  then  applied  himself  to  tho 
self-prescribed  task — that  of  slipping  his  handcuffs.  Tho 
bones  of  his  hands  fairly  cracked  under  the  pressure  of  the 
encircling  steel,  but  he  persisted  in  the  measure,  and  in  a 
moment  the  long-fettered  member  was  free. 

"  That's  the  main  thing,"  he  whispered.  "  The  rest  is 
easy !" 

"  Heaven  grant  it,  Ned.  Everything  now  depends  upon 
you!" 

Ned  was  silent  a  moment,  as  if  rallying  all  his  forces  for 
the  coming  struggle,  and  then  whispered  : 

"  There  are  over  a  hundred  of  us.  Two-thirds  of  this 
number  will  fight  to  the  death,  if  I  can  furnish  them  arms. 
There  are  only  twelve  or  fifteen  of  the  pirates.  This  guard 
has  the  keys  of  our  irons — or  did,  when  we  were  on  the 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  33 

6teamcr.  He  "will  transfer  them  to  the  men  who  relieves 
him,  and  it's  about  time  for  that  man  to  appear.  When  he 
comes " 

The  party  referred  to  was  already  heard  coming. 
,  He  proved  to  be  a  burly  confederate,  who  approached 
snapping  and  snarling,  and  wishing  that  the  prisoners  had, 
been  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea  before  he  was  detained  to 
watch  them.  He  relieved  his  predecessor,  and  received 
from  him  the  keys  mentioned,  with  a  few  words  of  instruc- 
tion. 

"  Tho  critical  moment  has  come  !"  whispered  Ned,  as  the 
relieved  man  withdrew.  "  This  fresh  guard  will  be  along 
in  a  moment,  to  see  if  we  are  safe  !" 

Mr.  Vale  fairly  held  his  breath. 

Two  or  three  of  his  fellow  prisoners  detected  that  some 
project  was  on  foot,  and  were  watching  intently  for  its  de- 
noument. 

The  guard  took  the  lantern  from  the  wall,  and  commenced 
a  tour  of  inspection  through  the  hold,  in  accordance  writh 
his  instructions. 

Ned  had  secured,  and  brought  with  him  from  the  steamer 
a  pair  of  heavy  shackles  which  had  been  taken  from  one  of 
the  prisoners  who  had  died  there,  and  he  now  held  them 
doubled  in  his  hand,  ready  for  their  intended  work. 

As  the  guard  came  within  reach  of  him,  and  was  inspect- 
ing the  shackles  of  Mr.  Yale,  Ned  struck  him  a  terrific  blow 
and  he  fell  senseless  to  the  floor. 

A  buzz  of  excitement  arose  from  the  prisoners  who  had 
been  watching  tho  proceedings,  and  some  of  their  sleeping 
comrades  started  out  of  their  slumber,  with  ejaculations  of 
inquiry  and  alarm. 

"  Siler^e,  every  man  of  you !"  commanded  Ned.  "  Silence! 
and  I  will  release  you  !" 

The  injunction  was  obeyed. 

The  lantern  had  been  overthrown  in  the  fall  of  the  guard, 
but  was  not  extinguished,  and  Mr.  Vale  instantly  picked  it 
up,  whispering : 


34  THE    TRACK   OF   FIRE  ; 

"  Now  for  the  keys !" 

Ned  searched  the  pockets  of  the  prostrate  man,  and  pro- 
duced the  keys.  In  a  moment,  while  the  merchant  held  the 
light,  our  hero  released  Mr.  Vale  and  himself. 

'•  Me  next !"'  exclaimed  half  a  score  of  voices,  in  chorus. 
"  Here  !  here  !" 

"  Patience,  men,"  responded  Ned,  with  a  calm  cheerful- 
ness that  allayed  the  rising  panic.  "I  will  attend  to  you  as 
fast  as  I  can.     The  first  measure  is  to  obtain  arms !" 

lie  seized  the  cap  and  coat  of  the  insensible  guard,  as  well 
as  his  weapons,  and  then  added  : 

"  Take  the  light  and  the  keys,  Mr.  Yale,  and  release  all 
the  men  you  can  in  my  absence.  I  am  going  to  look  for 
sabres  and  pistols.     We  can  do  nothing  without  them  !" 

The  prisoners  felt  the  necessity  of  this  measure,  and  each 
resigned  himself  to  it. 

"  Silence, all !"  was  Ned's  parting  injunction.  "  A  breath, 
and  we  are  lost !" 

He  hurried  to  the  entrance,  and  in  another  moment  gain- 
ed the  deck. 

He  halted  in  the  shadow  of  the  sails,  and  looked  around 
him. 

The  night  was  serenely  beautiful. 

A  flood  of  mellow  moonlight  lighted  up  the  scene,  and  the 
starry  hosts  were  revealed  in  the  clear  splendor  of  the 
tropics. 

Scattered  along  the  deck  of  the  vessel  was  the  watch  on 
duty,  each  individual  engaged  at  some  task,  or  conversing 
with  his  fellows,  so  that  the  appearance  of  our  hero  in  their 
midst  was  not  particularly  noticed. 

With  what  a  thrill  of  joy  he  exulted  in  his  regained  free- 
dom. 

How  tenderly  and  wildly  he  thought  of  Ethel. 

Where  was  Murlick  ?  Where  could  he  find  some  arms  ? 
How  best  avoid  detection  ? 

He  took  off  his  boots,  and  stole  toward  the  cabin. 

Listening  at  the  head  of  the  companion  way,  and  hearing 


OK,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE   TIKATE    SEMMES.  35 

nothing  to  alarm  him,  he  crept  down  the  stairs,  pausing  at 
their  foot,  and  looking  searchingly  around. 

A  dim  light  was  burning  in  a  swinging  lantern  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  cabin,  and  by  its  rays  Ned  beheld  a  couple  of 
women  in  one  of  the  rear  state-rooms. 

As  the  nearest  of  these  ladies  changed  her  position,  he 
beheld  Ethel  seated  at  a  little  table,  her  head  leaning  on  her 
hand,  and  her  attitude  one  of  despair. 

One  of  her  companions  addressed  her,  and  as  she  roused 
up  to  reply,  she  disclosed  a  face  of  such  pallor  and  sadness 
that  Capt.  Willis  yearned  over  her  with  a  great  flood  of  pity 
and  tenderness. 

He  saw  that  the  ladies  were  bidding  the  maiden  good- 
night, and  retreated  to  the  head  of  the  stairs,  not  caring  to 
run  the  risk  of  such  an  alarm  as  they  were  likely  to  raise 
at  the  detection  of  his  presence.  They  soon  left  her,  how- 
ever, shutting  themselves  up  in  an  adjoining  state-room, 
and  Ned  then  moved  cautiously  towards  her.  His  move- 
ments, as  stealthy  as  they  were,  were  detected  by  her  acute 
hearing,  and  she  looked  up.  As  she  knew  how  strongly 
the  prisoners  were  chained,  and  how  closely  they  were 
guarded,  the  first  thought  that  presented  itself  to  her  mind 
was  that  she  saw  an  apparition,  and  a  wild  look  of  terror 
appeared  on  her  face. 

"  Hush,  darling  !  Do  not  speak — do  not  be  afraid  of  me  ! 
It  is  me  /" 

He  took  her  by  the  hand. 

"  0,  God  !"  she  murmured.  "  Can  I  believe  my  eight — my 
hearing  ?" 

An  instant  longer  she  looked  admiringly  at  him,  as  she  in- 
stinctively closed  the  door  of  the  state-room,  and  then  she 
threw  herself  into  his  arms.  She  nestled  in  his  bosom. 
She  rained  kisses  upon  his  cheeks  and  lip's.  She  clung  to 
his  neck,  weeping  for  joy.  She  panted  in  her  half-delirious 
excitement. 

"  My  father  ?"  she  finally  murmured. 

"  Is  free  also,  and  engaged  in  releasing  our  fellow-prison- 


36  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE; 

ers,"  replied  our  hero.  "  We  are  going  to  strike  for  our 
freedom.     Where's  Murlick  ?" 

M  In  a  state-room  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  cabin.  He 
has  been  there  but  few  a  minutes.  Can  it  be  that  he  is  already 
asleep  ?" 

They  both  listened,  Ethel  partly  disengaging  herself  from 
Ned's  embrace,  and  blushing  at  her  late  impulsiveness.  She 
was  the  first  to  speak. 

41  FH  see  what  he's  about,"  she  whispered.  "  Please  re- 
main where  you  are!" 

She  slipped  out  of  the  state-room,closing  the  door  behind 
her.  She  returned,  after  the  lapse  of  a  minute  or  two,  and 
whispered  : 

"  I  hear  nothing  of  him.  He  may  be  asleep,  and  may  be 
looking  over  the  papers  of  the  late  captain  of  this  vessel. 
It  will  be  safe  for  us  to  be  on  our  guard  against  the  villain. 
Why  did  not  father  come  with  you  ?" 

Ned  briefly  explained,  adding  : 

"  You  see  that  we  want  arms.  Can  you  assist  us  to  find 
some  V 

u  Yes,  Murlick  stowed  quite  a  lot  of  them  away  in  the 
state  room  next  to  this.  Perhaps  my  key  will  fit  the  door. 
Let's  see !" 

She  tried  it.     The  door  opened. 

"  Step  in  !"  she  said.     "  I  will  listen  again." 

Ned  stepped  into  the  state-room,  and  found  a  dozen 
Bwords  and  as  many  pistols,  mostly  revolvers.  He  tied 
them  all  in  two  bunches,  running  a  noose  tie  through  tho 
handles  of  the  former,  and  a  stout  cord  he  happened  to  have 
through  the  handles  of  the  latter. 

"  The  way  is  clear,"  whispered  Ethel,  returning  to  him. 
"  I  hear  nothing  of  Murlick.  He  thinks  the  game  is  all  in 
his  own  hands,  and  is  resting  from  his  late  watchfulness  on 
the  Alabama." 

"May  he  awake  in  our  hands!"  responded  Ned,  as  he 
came  out  of  the  state-room.  "  Be  brave  now,  Ethel.  You 
soon  shall  see  your  father.    These  arms  are  our  salvation  !" 

These  words,  in  connection  with  the  bright  and  cheery 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH  THE    PIRATE   SEMMK3.  37 

look  on  the  speakers  countenance,  inspired  Ethel  with  hope 
and  faith. 

"  Heaven  be  with  yon !"  she  rejoined.  "  I  shall  be  in  my 
apartment.  Tell  father  to  be  cautious  for  my  sake,  and  to 
hurry  to  me  as  soon  as  he  can !" 

At  this  juncture,  just  as  Ned  was  going,  Murlick  appeared 
in  the  door-way  of  his  state-room,  looking  from  one  to  the 
other. 

-m+S> 1 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MURLICK    BIDES   HIS   TD1E. 

The  meeting  was  a  mutual  one,  but  Murlick,  having  sup- 
posed his  prisoners  secure,  was  considerably  the  most 
startled,  and  stood  motionless  a  moment,  like  one  paralyzed. 

That  momentary   inaction  cut  him  dearly. 

Without  a  word  or  any  display  of  his  emotions,  Ned 
leaped  at  his  enemy,  taking  him  by  the  throat,  with  the  in- 
tention of  preventing  him  from  summoning  assistance. 

The  struggle  that  followed  can  be  imagined — the  panting 
of  the  combatants ;  their  fierce  grapple,  as  they  rolled  over 
and  over !  the  scuffling  of  feet ;  the  beating  of  heads  and 
limbs  against  the  walls  of  the  state-room  ;  the  awful  ferocity 
of  Murlick,  contrasted  with  the  quiet  resolution  of  our  hero  ; 
and  the  anxiety  with  which  Ethel  watched  them. 

It  was  a  desperate  and  prolonged  battle. 

The  ladies  opened  their  state-room  doors  and  looked  out, 
some  with  faint  screams,  some  in  a  horrified  silence.  And 
it  was  thus  that  Ethel  evinced  the  stuff  of  which  she  was 
made,  she  moving  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  frightened 
ones,  enjoining  them  to  be  still,  assuring  them  that  all  was 
well  and  would  soon  be  better ! 

She  had  seen  that  Ned,  having  closed  his  fingers  on  Mur- 
lick's  throat,  had  the  advantage  from  the  start,  and  that  ho 
bad  maintained  it.    Gasping  and  discolored,  Murlick  ceased 


38  THE   TRACK   OP   FIRE  ; 

his  struggle,  and  the  victor,  with  the  aid  of  Ethel,  gagged 
and  bound  him,  and  locked  him  up  in  the  state-room. 

"  That's  good  for  us!"  said  Ned,  after  looking  out  from 
the  cabin.  "No  alarm  has  been  raised,  and  we  can  now  go 
on  with  our  proceedings  !" 

He  picked  up  his  swords  and  pistols,  addressed  a  few 
further  words  to  Ethel,  enjoining  her  to  keep  the  women 
quiet,  and  then  hurried  from  the  cabin. 

The  posture  of  affairs  on  deck  was  very  much  as  he  had 
left  it. 

One  of  the  sailors  on  duty  was  engaged  in  spinning  an  in- 
teresting yarn,  and  several  of  his  comrades  had  neither 
eyes  nor  ears  for  anything  else. 

In  a  moment  Ned  had  gained  the  hold,  with  his  weapons, 
and  his  triumphant  return  was  hailed  by  the  prisoners  with 
a  wild  buzz  of  excitement. 

He  found  that  more  than  thirty  of  them  had  been  restored 
to  the  use  of  their  limbs,  and  that  the  rest  were  being  at- 
tended to  with  all  possible  expedition. 

"  Be  cautious,  men !"  said  Capt.  Willis,  in  a  low  but  per- 
fectly distinct  tone.  "Our  lives  still  depend  upon  your 
caution !" 

There  was  instant  silence,  while  he  distributed  the  swords 
and  pistols  as  far  as  they  would  go,  arming  Mr.  Vale  with 
the  rest. 

"I  secured  all  the  arms  that  were  not  in  use,"  he  then 
said.  "  I  will  now  go  to  the  forecastle,  where  the  watch  off 
duty  is  sleeping,  and  secure  their  weapons !" 

"  Oh,  no,  Ned  !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Yale,  grasping  the  young 
captain's  hand.  "  I  can't  consent  to  your  taking  such  a  risk. 
We  have  weapons  for  more  than  a  dozen  of  us,  and  there 
are  not  more  than  fifteen  of  our  enemies  on  board.  We  can 
conquer  them.     You  must  not  go  !" 

"  Their  fifteen  pistols  would  kill  fifteen  of  us,"  responded 
Ned,  quietly.  "  We  must  have  their  arms,  not  only  for  our 
own  use,  but  to  deprive  them  of  them  !  Let  what  will  oc- 
cur, I  can  make  my  way  back  to  you,  or  give  you  notice  of 
trouble.    I  m»s*  c«*  V" 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  39 

Mr.  Tale  preBsed  his  hand  with  deep  emotion,  and  Capt. 
Willis  added : 

"  Ethel  is  all  safe  in  the  cabin,  and  longing  to  see  you! 
Have  faith  and  patience  !" 

He  again  slipped  upon  deck,  and  gained  the  forecastle  un- 
suspected, but  not  unnoticed.  Its  occupants,  the  watch  off 
duty,  were  asleep.  A  lantern  was  burning  dimly,  revealing 
the  sleepers  in  their  bunks,  and  some  weapons  scattered 
about  on  the  tables  and  stools,  and  as  many  more  hung  over 
their  sleeping  owners.  As  Ned  entered,  one  or  two  of  the 
seamen  turned  over,  muttering  incoherently.  As  silently 
as  possible,  the  intruder  began  to  collect  the  scattered  arms, 
securing  them  as  he  had  done  those  in  the  state-room,  and 
he  soon  possessed  all  that  were  visible. 

He  now  breathed  more  freely. 

He  was  resolved,  however,  not  to  leave  a  single  weapon 
to  imperil  the  lives  of  his  friends,  if  he  could  help  it,  and  he 
began  feeling  under  the  heads  of  the  sleepers. 

"  What  do  you  want  here  ?"  growled  one  of  the  seamen, 
impatiently,  as  he  half-roused  himself  from  his  slumber  at 
Ned's  touch. 

"  I  want  your  weapon  !"  said  Capt.  Willis,  in  a  low  and 
steady  tone.     "  Ah  !  here  it  is  !" 

After  a  few  further  successes,  Ned  concluded  that  he  had 
obtained  nearly  all  of  the  arms  on  board  of  the  vessel,  ex- 
cept such  as  might  be  in  possession  of  the  watch  on  deck, 
and  prepared  to  return  to  his  companions. 

He  left  the  forecastle,  with  a  watchful  eye  and  no  little 
anxiety,  but  with  a  jubilant  thrill  pervading  his  whole 
being.  While  passing  along  the  deck,  he  was  seen  by  one 
of  the  men  on  duty,  and  suddenly  seized,  while  the  fellow 
uttered  a  wondering  exclamation. 

Capt.  Willis  instantly  realized  not  only  his  own  peril,  but 
the  danger  his  friends  would  be  in  should  the  arms  in  his 
possession  be  recaptured. 

A  quick  glance  showed  him  that  the  other  sailors  on  deck 
were  not  noticing  himself  nor  the  confederate  detaining 
him. 


40  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE; 

"With  the  quickness  of  a  flash,  and  while  the  fellow  was 
tightening  his  grip,  and  in  the  act  of  uttering  an  outcry, 
Capt  Willis  struck  him  with  his  revolver,  and  he  fell  to  the 
deck  with  a  dull  sound. 

|  The  noise  aroused  his  companions,  and  they  rushed  for- 
ward, uttering  cries  of  alarm,  as  Ned  dashed  into  the  hold, 
exclaiming  : 

"  Lively,  men  !  Take  these  arms.  The  pirates  have  de- 
tected me,  hut  are  almost  without  weapons.  We  are  four 
to  one.  Let  the  unarmed  remain  here  to  release  the  rest  of 
you,  while  we  gain  possession  of  the  vessel.  Everything 
is  in  our  own  hands.     Come,  men.     Follow  me  !" 

He  led  the  way  to  the  deck,  and  the  men  poured  after 
him.  Their  appearance  was  greeted  by  the  confederates 
with  a  general  shout  of  consternation.  To  Ned's  surprise, 
Murlick  was  on  the  deck,  near  the  forecastle,  at  the  head  of 
his  followers,  two  or  three  of  them  having  dashed  into  the 
cabin  and  released  him. 

"  Now,  men,  for  our  freedom  !"  cried  Capt.  Willis,  in  a 
voice  like  the  roar  of  a  lion.     "  Forward,  all  together  !" 

As  completely  as  he  had  been  taken  by  surprise  by  the 
movement  of  our  hero,  Murlick  was  neither  subdued  nor 
daunted.  To  his  original  hatred  of  the  Vales,  he  had  added 
a  bitter  feeling  of  jealousy  of  Capt.  Willis,  and  a  still  fiercer 
sentiment  of  love  for  Ethel,  and  all  these  passions  and 
emotions  combined  made  him  a  most  formidable  foe  to  en- 
counter. 

M  Turn  out,  boys!"  he  shouted,  with  a  glance  towards  the 
forecastle.     i;  Secesh  against  the  Yankees  forever  !" 

As  bravely  as  he  spoke,  he  speedily  saw  enough  to  cause 
him  to  quail- — the  watch  off  duty  pouring  unarmed  out  of 
the  forecastle,  and  the  late  prisoners  gathering  in  over- 
whelming array  before  him. 

He  saw  that  an  hour  of  retribution  had  come. 

Maddened  with  desperation,  he  attacked  our  hero  furi- 
ously, and  a  sharp  conflict  succeeded. 

His  followers  made  a  desperate  onslaught  upon  their  late 


OR,   A    CRUISE    VTITn    THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  41 

prisoners,  but  he  and  they  speedily  saw  that  the  odds 
against  them  were  fatal. 

Capt.  Willis  had  fairly  beaten  Murlick,  when  he  caught 
sight  of  Mr.  Vale  struggling  in  the  grasp  of  a  frenzied  as- 
sailant, and  sprang  to  his  rescue,  cutting  the  fellow  down  at 
his  feet.  At  the  same  instant,  one  of  the  Confederates,  be- 
side himself  with  fright,  leaped  on  the  bulwarks  and  plunged 
overboard.  Another  exclaimed  that  he  surrendered,  and 
the  cry  became  a  chorus,  so  that  the  victors  stayed  their 
hands. 

A  bubbling  shriek  came  up  from  the  water,  and  a  large 
portion  of  the  federals  hurried  to  the  other  side  of  the  bark 
and  looked  after  the  drowning  man  as  he  fell  astern  in  the 
darkness,  although  he  was  out  of  sight.  Some  spoke  of 
heaving  to  and  lowering  a  boat,  and  others  said  it  would  be 
of  no  avail  to  do  so.  Our  hero  was  busy  with  Mr.  Vale. 
And  in  this  general  confusion,  Murlick  found  himself  de- 
tached from  the  group,  near  the  forecastle,  unnoticed,  and 
so  thoroughly  vanquished  that  no  one  cared  for  his  where- 
abouts. 

'•  If  I  can  hide  unseen,"  he  thought,  "  and  remain  undetect- 
ed, they'll  think  that  it  was  I  that  jumped  overboard  !" 

His  legs  moved  even  more  rapidly  than  his  thoughts,  and 
he  was  speedily  in  the  forecastle. 

Much  to  his  joy  he  found  a  passage  leading  into  the  lower 
hold.  He  was  soon  far  down  among  the  boxes  and  bales 
stowed  in  that  part  of  the  vessel,  groping  his  way  in  utter 
darkness. 

lie  had  recently  broken  cargoes  enough  to  know  where 
everything  was  kept,  and  he  made  his  way  to  the  water- 
casks,  tappping  them  until  he  found  one  tliat  was  empty. 

By  a  herculean  exertion  of  his  strength,  he  moved  some 
of  the  full  casks  sufficiently  to  admit  of  his  placing  the 
empty  one  among  them. 

With  the  aid  of  an  oaken  lever  that  came  opportunely  to 
his  hands — it  being  habitually  used  to  move  the  casks — ho 
dashed  in  the  head  of  the  empty  one,  which  he  then  inserted 


42  THK   TRACK    OF    FIRE; 

over  his  shoulders.  Crouching,  the  cask  touched  the  floor, 
and  he  was  completely  shut  in. 

Placing  his  mouth  near  the  bung-hole,  he  settled  himself 
into  an  easy  posture,  and  listened. 

"  They  may  find  me  here,"  he  muttered,  "  and  they  may 
not.     If  they  don't,  I'll  bide  my  time  !" 

lie  chuckled  to  himself  and,  with  the  air  of  one  who 
considers  himself  dangerous  and  unconquered,  and  continued 
to  listen. 


.  CHAPTER  VII. 

THE  EETC"RN  TO  THE  CAfE. 


The  victory  was  won,  and  Capt.  Willis  and  his  friends  re- 
mained in  possession  of  the  vessel. 

It  was  speedliy  ascertained  that  two  of  the  Confederates 
were  killed  and  one  badly  wounded,  while,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  few  slight  wounds,  the  victors  were  uninjured. 

Ned's  crew  surrounded  him,  with  noisy  acclamations  and 
shouts  of  rejoicing. 

His  attention  being  called  to  the  fact  that  a  man  was  over- 
board, the  young  captain  hove  to,  and  ordered  out  a  boat  to 
look  for  him.  The  cries  of  the  drowning  man  had  now  died 
away,  however,  and  the  boat  came  back  unsuccessful,  and 
the  bark  resumed  her  course. 

Our  hero  noticed  that  the  man  at  the  wheel  was  intelli- 
gent looking,  and  that  he  was  apparently  unmoved  by  the 
scene  around  him.  He  questioned  him  in  regard  to  his 
strange  behaviour,  and  asked  him  why  he  had  not  assisted 
his  fellow-seamen. 

"  Because,"  replied  the  man,  still  attending  to  his  duty, 
"  my  business  is  here,  and  I  did  not  want  anything  to  do 
wilU  the  fighting?" 

A  general  laugh  followed  this  remark,  and  he  added  : 

"  To  tell  the  truth,  I  can  imagine  worse  misfortunes  than 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WTTn   TOE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  43 

to  be  trailer  the  old  flag,  or   a   prisoner  in   the   hands  of  its 

defenders  !" 

Ned  instantly  comprehended  that  the  man  was  more  than 
half  Unionist,  and  he  replied  : 

'•  Y«>u  can  retain  your  freedom,  and  consider  yourself  our 
guest,  not  a  prisoner  !" 

*  The  captain  of  the  hark  having  been  killed  at  the  time  of 
her  capture  by  the  Alabama,  it  was  unanimously  agreed 
that  Capt.  "Willis  should  take  command  of  her,  and  he  im- 
mediately ordered  a  man  to  the  wheel,  relieving  the  Confed- 
erate, and  selected  a  watch  from  his  men  for  the  remainder  of 
the  night. 

Two-thirds  of  the  Confederates  had  gathered  in  a  group 
about  their  dead  and  wounded  comrades,  and,  throwing 
down  their  arms,  had  repeated  their  surrender.  Some  of 
them  were  sullen,  and  defiant,  and  others  appeared  over- 
whelmed with  fear.  The  remainder  of  their  number  were 
hunted  out  of  the  cabin,  forecastle,  and  lower  hold,  and 
brought  to  the  deck.  Although  the  hunters  passed  near 
Murlick  in  his  concealment,  they  didnotdetecthis  presence, 
and  returned  to  Ned  with  the  conclusion  that  the  villain  was 
the  man  who  had  plunged  overboard. 

The  dead  Confederates  were  sewed  up  in  sail-cloth  and 
launched  into  the  sea,  with  brief  ceremonies,  and  the  wound- 
ed one  was  removed  to  the  forecastle  and  humanely  cared 
for. 

The  remaining  prisoners  were  ironed  and  put  in  the  hold, 
the  universal  voice  of  the  captors  being  in  favor  of  this 
treatment. 

"  We  will  not  treat  them  as  badly  as  Ave  have  been  treated," 
said  Capt.  Willis,  "  but  we  will  nevertheless  let  them  know 
what  it  is  to  be  prisoners  !" 

The  confederates  being  thus  disposed  of,  a  guard  was  put 
over  them,  and  the  captors  made  themselves  comfortable. 
The  passengers  of  the  different  vessels  were  assigned  places 
in  the  cabin,  as  far  as  it  would  contain  them,  and  some 
spare  sails  wero  speedily  converted  into  an  awning  to  shel- 


44  THE    TRACK    OF    FIRE  ; 

ter  the  rest.  The  sailors  took  possession  of  the  forecastle, 
and  as  much  of  the  forward  deck  as  they  required. 

When  everything  was  arranged  to  his  liking,  Ned  pro- 
ceeded to  Ethel's  state-room,  where  she  and  her  father  were 
still  engaged  in  conversation,  and  was  instantly  admitted. 
He  Avas  welcomed  by  Ethel  with  a  warm  pressure  of  the 
hand,  and  a  vivid  blush,  while  Mr.  Yale  exclaimed : 

"  Ethel  has  been  telling  me,  Ned,  of  your  fight  with  Mur- 
lick.  You're  a  brave  and  noble  fellow — I  wish  you  were  my 
son !" 

Ethel's  blushes  deepened,  and  Ned  quickly  replied  : 

"  You  can  make  me  so,  sir!     Will  you  give  me  Ethel?" 

The  merchant  looked  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  young 
couple  and  then  said  : 

"I  don't  know  of  any  man  on  earth, my  dear  boy, to  whom 
I  would  so  willingly  entrust  the  future  of  my  child  as  to 
you  !  You  can  have  her,  with  her  father's  blessing,  if  she's 
willing  1" 

Ned  whispered  to  the  maiden,  and  that  her  answer  was 
satisfactory,  was  plainly  evinced  by  the  light  that  suddenly 
overspread  the  young  captain's  countenance,  and  the  be- 
trothal kiss  he  bestowed  upon  her. 

'Sir.  Yale  was  fairly  overcome  with  delight. 

He  had  long  known  the  sterling  qualities  of  Ned's  head 
and  heart,  and  regarded  him  already  as  a  dear  son. 

';  And  now,"  said  Ned,  a  few  minutes  later,  when  they  had 
rejoiced  with  each  other  sufficiently,  "  we  are  having  a 
grand  supper  in  the  cabin  !  Let  us  take  our  place  among 
the  rest!" 

They  went  into  the  large  apartment,  and  found  the  table 
already  spread,  and  the  late  prisoners  grouped  around  the 
apartment  partaking  of  a  supper. 

"  And  so  we  are  all  very  comfortable,"  said  Ned  to  Ethel, 
when  he  had  supplied  her  plate  and  his  own,  and  had  found 
seats.  "  What  joy  it  is  for  me  to  be  again  with  you — under 
such  circumstances  too !" 

Ethel  encountered  his  ardent  and  loving  gaze,  and,  to  con-< 


OR,    A.    CRUISE   WITH   THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  45 

eeal  the  emotion  that  was  plainly  shown  in  her  scarlet  cheeks 
and  sparkling  eyes,  she  said  : 

"  Do  you  believe  that  Murlick  is  really  dead  ?  Perhaps 
he  is  hidden  somewhere  in  the  vessel.  I  have  not  yet  dis- 
missed all  my  fears  of  him !" 

"  That's  because  you  have  been  so  completely  terrified  by 
him  !"  replied  Ned.  "  This  feeling  will  wear  off.  His  own 
men  say  he's  jumped  overboard,  and  that's  the  very  course 
such  a  villain  would  take  in  his  desperation,  he  being  too 
fierce  and  defiant  to  surrender.  Yre'll  search  the  vessel 
thoroughly,  however,"  he  added,  "  and  so  make  sure  of 
being  rid  of  him  !" 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  they  had  finished  their  repast,  Capt. 
Willis,  aided  by  Mr.  Yale  and  half  a  score  of  the  passengers, 
searched  the  ship  thoroughly,  passing  near  the  place  of 
Murlick's  concealment  and  even  sounding  some  of  the  water- 
casks  around  him,  thereby  causing  the  villain's  heart  to 
quake  with  fear.  Not  finding  any  trace  of  him,  the  convic- 
tion became  general  that  the  man  who  had  jumped  over- 
board was  really  Murlick. 

Capt.  Willis  decided  to  keep  on  his  course  to  the  Cape, 
in  order  to  land  the  Confederates  and  such  of  the  federals  as 
might  wish  to  take  passage  thence  in  homeward  bound  ves- 
sels. It  was  his  intention  to  retain  command  of  the  bark, 
ample  provisioning  her  at  Cape  Town,  and  take  her  to  New 
York,  carrying  with  him  as  many  of  the  passengers  as  he 
could,  and  there  have  the  Courts  pass  upon  his  claim  to  her. 

The  succeeding  days  passed  pleasant,  and  the  occupants 
of  the  bark  spent  much  of  their  time  on  deck,  telling  stories, 
playing  games,  and  otherwise  exercising  and  enjoying  their 
new-found  freedom.  Notwithstanding  the  faithful  per- 
formance of  his  duties  as  captain,  Ned  found  time  to  devote 
himself  to  Ethel  and  to  make  the  days  pass  like  a  blissful 
dream  to  her. 

Except  their  manacles  and  shackles,  the  prisoners  in  the 
hold,  were  well-cared  for,  allowed  plenty  of  fresh  air  and 
good  food,  and  otherwise  kindly  treated. 

About  sunset,  on  the  third  day  after   taking   the  vesse  I 


46  THE  TRACK  OF   FIRE; 

Capt.  Willis  sailed  into  Table  Bay.  The  passengers  thronged 
the  deck,  and  witnessed  with  delight  the  halo  of  crimson  and 
amber  clouds  that  crowned  the  bow  of  Table  Mountain,  the 
palms  and  other  trees  that  lined  the  shores,  and  finally  the 
castle,  the  fortress  and  batteries  that  guarded  the  harbor 
and  town. 

The  village  with  its  regular  streets  and  neat  brick  "houses, 
its  government  buildings,  etc.,  presented  a  home-look  to  tlio 
tired  passengers,  and  they  requested  to  go  ashore  immedi- 
ately— some  wishing  to  procure  clothes,  others  to  mail  let- 
ters, and  others  to  "  get  a  good  sleep,"  as  one  of  the  ladies 
declared. 

The  surf  of  the  Atlantic  against  the  shores  at  Cape  Town,, 
sometimes  rendering  anchoring  impracticable,  and  it  was 
sometime  before  a  safe  anchorage  was  effected.  The  boats 
were  then  got  out  and  the  passengers  and  crews  were  taken 
ashore,  load  after  load,  until  the  bark  was  nearly  deserted, 
Capt.  Willis  then  changed  the  guard  over  his  prisoners,  and 
said  to  Ethel  and  her  father,  who  stood  leaning  over  the 
bulwarks  and  contemplating  the  scene  : 

"  I  must  go  ashore  to  procure  provisions  for  our  journey 
across  the  Atlantic.  There  remain  goods  enough  on  board 
to  exchange  for  all  Ave  want,  and  we  can  obtain  some  money,  if 
necessary.  Would'nt  you  like  to  go  to  the  town.  Ethel,  with 
me,  and  purchase  something  for  your  wardrobe  ?" 

"I  think  not  to-day,  Edward,  was  the  reply  "Father has 
a  headache,  and  I  will  stay  with  him.  Besides,  you  know 
I  have  my  trunks  all  safe.     But  we'll  all  go  in  the  morning!" 

Capt.  Willis  kissed  his  betrothed  and  then  climbed  down 
into  his  boat  and  Avas  rowed  ashore,  Ethel  and  her  father 
watching  him  until  he  landed. 

In  this  posture  of  affairs,  a  sinister  event  occurred. 

Lieut  Murlick  peered  out  of  the  foreastlc,  surveying  the 
deck,  the  father  and  daughter,  the  town,  and  the  whole 
6ceno  around  him ! 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH    THE    FIXATE   SEM.ME3. 


CHAPTER  Till. 

ANOTHER  SUDDEN  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE. 

The  face  of  the  Confederate  lieutenant  was  haggard ,  al- 
t  wild  in  its  expression.  His  fare,  since  the  night  of  the 
conflict,  had  consisted  of  sea  biscuits  and  water,  and  his 
sleep  had  not  extended  beyond  a  few  snatches  of  dozing. 
He  had  early  realized  that  the  bark  was  making  for  the 
Cape,  as  fast  as  the  wind  could  carry  her,  and  had  grimly 
awaited  events.  He  had  not  shown  himself  to  his  men,  al- 
though he  had  made  a  stealthy  visit  to  that  quarter  of  'the 
3el,  and  informed  himself  of  their  situation. 

His  appearance,  as  he  thus  looked  forth  upon  Mr.  Vale 
and  Ethel,  was  startling — his  features  glowing  with  his  emo- 
tions, and  his  eyes  gleaming  like  those  of  a  hungry  beast  of 
prey.  In  his  hand  he  held  the  heavy  lever  with  which  he 
had  knocked  in  the  head  of  the  hogshead  which  for  three 
days  and  nights  had  been  his  retreat. 

"  I  see  !  The  field  is  ready  for  the  sower  !"  was  his  half- 
audible  comment  on  the  situation  of  affairs.  "  I  will  hasten 
to  improve  it !" 

He  hastened  to  the  hold,  lever  in  hand.  One  of  Ned's 
men  was  keeping  guard  over  the  prisoner.?,  but  in  an  indo- 
lent and  careless  way,  having  no  apprehensions  of  a  rescue. 
He  was  seated  on  a  low  stool,  with  his  back  to  the  wall,  and 
engaged  in  smoking.  With  a  chuckle  of  delight,  Murlick 
levelled  him  with  a  single  blow  of  his  weapon,  and  then 
said  : 

■  Not  a  word,  men— not  a  whisper  !  I  am  here,  and  I  bring 
you  your  freedom  !" 

He  took  the  keys  from  the  pocket  of  the  insensible  guard, 
and  restored  his  men  to  liberty  one  after  another. 

As  the  men  arose  and  stretched  their  limbs,  they  express- 
ed their  joy. 


48  THE   TRACK   OF    FIRE  J 

"  This  way,  men,"'  said  Murlick.  "  I  will  furnish  you  arms. 
There  are  enough  of  them  in  the  forecastle.  The  Yankees 
have  nearly  all  gone  ashore,  and  we  shall  have  no  difficulty 
in  recapturing  the  vessel !" 

The  assurance  excited  his  men  so  much  that  he  could  hardly 
restrain  them.  Expressions  of  vindictiveness  burst  from 
them,  as  they  followed  their  leader  to  the  forecastle. 

w  You  shall  have  full  satisfaction  for  your  confinement," 
said  Murlick,  as  he  saw  that  this  part  of  the  vessel  was  en- 
tirely deserted.  "  Here  are  plenty  of  swords  and  pistols, 
the  very  same  taken  from  U3  by  the  Yankees.  Help  your- 
selves to  them !" 

The  men  selected  their  arms,  while  Murlick  peered  forth 
upon  the  deck,  which  still  remained  as  quiet  as  at  the  mo- 
ment of  his  previous  survey.  The  father  and  daughter  still 
remained  leaning  over  the  bulwarks,  and  were  conversing  in 
low  tones  with  each  other,  all  unsuspicious  of  the  startling 
events  which  had  just  taken  place  behind  them.  The 
realization  of  their  unprotectedness  filled  the  soul  of  the  ob- 
server with  an  infernal  delight. 

He  crept  back  to  his  fellows,  giving  expression  to  his 
emotions  in  a  low  chuckle. 

*  Prepare  for  action,  men,"  he  commanded.  "  You  will  not 
shoot  any  one  except  in  case  of  actual  necessity.  Await 
orders  and  keep  cool  !" 

He  went  up  to  the  deck  followed  by  his  men,  and  approach- 
ed the  father  and  daughter. 

As  they  drew  near,  Mr.  Vale  looked  up.  An  expression  of 
consternation  and  terror  appeared  on  his  faco  as  he  recog- 
nized his  enemy,  and  he  hurriedly  drew  his  pistol,  while 
Ethel  uterred  a  low  cry  of  alarm. 

■  Don't  you  use  that  weapon!''   said  Murlick,   in   an   ugly. 
tone,  "  or  I'll  have  you  shot  on  the  spot !     I  am  master  of  this' 
vessel.     I  have  watched  my  chance  and  I  know  that  nearly 
everybody  has  gone  ashore,  and  I  am  quite    competent  to 
take  care  of  those  that  remain.     Will  you  surrender  ?" 
I  Mr.  Vale  could  not  reply.     All  things  seemed  to   reel  bo- 


OB,    A    CRUISE    WITU   THE    PIRATE    SEMME9.  49 

fore  him  at  this  new  misfortune.     Ethel  was  dumb  with 
grief. 

''You  may  as  well,"  pursued  Murlick.  "  Capt.  Willis 
won't  be  back  just  at  present.     Xo  resistance  can  avail !"' 

The  merchant  moaned  in  his  terrible  anguish.  Ethel  re- 
covered her  calmness  and  spoke  for  him. 

u  Since  resistance  is  useless,  as  you  say,  we  will  sur- 
render," she  said.  "  You  will  permit  us  to  retire  to  my 
state-room  ?"  - 

"  Yes,  but  I  will  first  clear  the  cabin,"  replied  Murlick. 
"You  can  remain  here  in  charge  of  men  my  till  I  return." 

He  selected  several  of  his  men  and  immediately  seized 
every  man  on  the  bark,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Vale,  and 
shut  them  up  in  the  hold.  lie  then  visited  the  cabin,  lock- 
ing up  the  women  he  found  therein  in  a  couple  of  state-rooms. 
He  then  returned  to  Mr.  Yale  and  Ethel. 

"You  will  not  dare  perpetrate  this  seizure  in  neutral  waters, 
Lieut.  Murlick,"  said  the  merchant.  "  My  daughter  and  I 
are  now  under  the  protection  of  the  English  government !" 

"  Oli  you  are  ?"  was  the  insulting  response.  "Let's  seo 
the  English  government  protect  you!  Neutral  waters  or 
not,  I  am  commander  of  this  vessel.  As  regards  you  and 
Miss  Yale,  I  shall  do  as  I  please  here  or  elsewhere!" 

He  conducted  them  to  Ethel's  state-room  and  added  : 

"  I  will  leave  you  here  together  for  the  present.  I  must 
now  bo  prepared  to  take  care  of  Capt.  Willis  when  he  makes 
his  appearance  !" 

He  left  them,  locking  them  up  securely,  having  found  tho 
key  in  the  door. 

Mr.  Yale  flung  himself  on  the  low  couch,  and  covered  his 
face  with  his  hands,  moaning  : 

"  Oh.  my  poor  Ethel !  I  do  not  grieve  for  myself,  but  for 
you  and  Ned !" 

The  tears  came  to  the  poor  girl's  eyes,  and  it  required  all 
her  self-control  to  prevent  her  giving  way  to  sobs,  but  she 
exerted  herself  to  comfort  her  father,  seating  herself  upon 
his  knees  and  smoothing  his  hair,  drawing  his  hand  from  his 


50  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE  ; 

face  and  kissing  it  tenderly,  and  in  loving  words  and  ac- 
tions manifesting  her  affection  for  liim. 

"  Perhaps,  after  all,  dear  father,"  she  said,  "  Ned  may  re- 
turn in  company  with  a  large  number  of  the  passengers  and 
crew.     In  that  case  he  would  soon  release  ns  I" 

Meantime,  the  villains  had  gone  back  to  the  forecastle  to 
await  the  return  of  our  hero.  They  had  not  waited  long 
before  a  boat  returned  with  a  few  of  the  passengers  and 
seamen.  As  soon  as  they  came  on  board  they  were  seized 
and  ironed,  and  confined  in  the  hold  under  guard.  They 
were  hardly  disposed  of  when  another  boatload  of  passen- 
sengers,  including  several  ladie3,  climbed  up  the  sides  of  the 
vessel,  and  these  were  also  secured  without  noise,  and  the 
men  put  into  the  hold,  and  the  women  taken  to  the  cabin. 

The  glow  of  sunset  had  long  sinee  died  away,  aud  the 
shadows  of  evening  were  resting  darker  between  the  vessel 
and  the  shore,  when  Capt.  Willis,  attended  by  three  or  four 
seamen,  carrying  provisions,  came  on  board. 

He  was  instantly  confronted  by  the  villian  and  half  a  dozen 
of  his  men. 

In  the  faint  light  of  the  rising  moon,  Capt.  Willis  instantly 
recognized  his  enemies,  and  drew  his  weapons. 

"  Surround  him !:'  commanded  Murlick,  "  Seize  him,  three 
at  once,  while  the  rest  of  you  attend  to  the  others  1" 

The  order  was  obeyed.  Three  of  the  Confederates  besides 
Murlick  himself  sprang  upon  our  hero  aud  endeavored  to 
seize  him.  lie  fought  desperately,  killing  one  of  his 
assailants  and  wounding  the  villain  himself  slightly  in  the 
shoulder,  but  he  was  at  length  secured  and  ironed.  His 
men  had  already  ceased  their  struggles,  having  been  taken 
at  a  disadvantage,  and  were  also  secured. 

Murlick  then  ordered  Capt.  Willis  to  be  taken  down  to 
Ethel's  state-room,  he  leading  the  way  and  unlocking  the 
door. 

The  surprise  and  grief  of  the  lovers  at  their  strange  meet- 
ing, can  be  better  imagined  than  described. 

Despite  Ethel's  entreaties,  Mr.  Yale  was  hand-cuffed  and 
a  ball  and  chain  attached  to  his  feet,  and  also  one  to  Ned's. 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE  PIRATE   SEMMES,  51 

"  You  may  as  well  say  good  bye  to  each  other  now,"  said 
Murlick,  in  a  brutal  tone,  "  for  it  ain't  very  likely  you'll  seo 
each  other  again  soon,  if  ever !" 

Ethel  appealed  to  him,  demanding  what  he  meant,  but 
received  no  reply,  save  a  mocking  and  triumphant  laugh. 

Capt.  Willis  comprehended  the  awful  malignity  expressed 
in  the  villain's  words  and  tone,  and  said  : 

"  Come  here,  darling  I" 

Ethel  went  to  him,  and  he  whispered  a  few  words  of  love 
and  encouragement  in  her  ear,  kissing  her  and  bidding  her 
not  to  give  way  to  despair.  Ethel  embraced  him  with  a  fer- 
vor that  brought  a  diabolical  scowl  upon  Murlick's  face,  and 
then  went  to  her  father. 

"  Come,  hurry  up  !"  said  the  Confederate.  "  You  can  say 
4  farewell  forever,'  in  two  words,  as  well  as  a  hundred  V* 

He  ordered  his  men  to  remove  Capt.  Willis  to  a  state-room, 
and  himself  attended  to  locking  him  up  securely.  He  then 
had  Mr.  Yale  placed  in  another  state-room  and  similarly  se- 
cured, and  returned  to  the  half-fainting  girl. 

"  As  a  special  favor  to  you,  my  dear  Ethel,"  ho  said,  "  I 
won't  have  you  ironed  or  chained.  I  will  take  the  precaution, 
however,  of  locking  your  door.     Good  night!" 

He  left  her,  locking  the  door  behind  him  and  carrying 
away  the  key,  while  the  poor  girl,  moaning  in  anguish,  flung 
herself  on  her  couch  and  gave  way  to  her  grief. 

Murlick  returned  to  the  deck  and  ordered  all  the  prisoners 
in  the  hold  to  be  taken  ashore,  ironed  as  they  were,  and 
gave  the  keys  of  their  irons  to  one  of  the  men  whom  he  re- 
leased. Thus,  nobody  was  left  on  the  bark  save  the  Yales, 
our  hero,  and  the  Confederates.  The  villain  then  placed  a 
guard  in  the  cabin  and  went  ashore. 

In  the  course  cf  an  hour  he  returned. 

"  And  now  we'll  go  !"  he  said  to  his  men.  "  Up  with  the 
anchor,  boys,  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  let's  be  off!" 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  the  bark  started  out  of  the 
bay  with  a  fair  wind  for  the  Indian  Ocean. 

The  Confederates  were  jubilant. 

M  And  now  for  a  good  sleep,"  muttered  the  villain,  after  he 


62  THE   TRACK    OF    FIRE  ; 

had  issued  his  orders  for  the  night,  and  seen  that  his  three 
prisoners  were  safe.  "  I  am  tired  with  my  three  days  in  a 
water  cask  I" 

He  retired  to  his  state-room,  in  the  happy  conviction  that 
he  was  master  of  the  situation,  and  was  soon  heard  snoring 
loudly.  From  the  words  lie  had  addressed  to  the  prisoners, 
and  from  his  treatment  of  them,  they  well  knew  that  a  terri- 
ble darkness  was  before  them. 

"  All  is  lost  »ow !"  moaned  Ethel,  as  she  gave  way  to  a 
flood  of  tears,  in  her  solitude.  "  0,  father !  what  will  be- 
come of  us  ?     0,  Edward !  Edward !" 

The  father  and  the  lover,  each  in  his  own  way,  were 
oppressed  by  similar  emotions.  What  a  terrible  night  was 
that  upon  which  they  had  entered ! 

CHAPTER  IX. 

A   CRUEL   SEPARATION. 

The  forebodings  of  the  prisoners,  respecting  their  future 
were  too  well-founded. 

About  the  middle  of  the  following  forenoon,  Murlick  came 
to  the  door  of  the  state-room  in  which  Mr.  Vale  was  confin- 
ed, and  looked  in  upon  him,  saying  : 

"  Good  morning,  Mr.  Vale,  I'm  sorry  to  have  kept  you 
waiting  until  now  for  your  breakfast.  The  fact  is,  I  over- 
slept myself,  having  been  thoroughly  exhausted  by  the 
cares  and  anxieties  of  the  past  week  I* ' 

The  merchant  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  these  words, 
they  were  so  much  in  contradiction  to  the  villain's  former 
manners  towards  him,  and  even  to  his  present  appearauCe. 
For  a  moment  he  hoped  that  reflection  had  inclined  his  ene- 
my to  mercy,  but  the  next  instant  it  occurred  to  him  that 
this  unnatural  calmness  and  politeness  preluded  a  worse  evil 
than  he  had  yet  suffered. 

*  Breakfast  V  repeated  Mr.  Vale,  endeavoring  to  be  calm. 


' 


OR,   A   CRUIBE   WITH   THE  &RATE   SEMMES.  S3 

No  apology  is  necessary,  Lieut   Murlick,  on  that  score.     I. 

desire  nothing  to  cat !" 

*  Nonsense — You  have  lost  your  spirits.  I  shall  seek  to 
restore  them !" 

Ho  removed  the  ball  and  chain  from  his  prisoner,  and 
conducted  him  oat  of  the  state-room,  seating  him  beside  the 
table  that  occupied  the  centre  of  the  cabin.  Mr.  Vale  did 
not  reply  to  his  address,  except  with  a  sigh.  Never,  in  his 
whole  life,  had  the  merchatseen  an  hour  when  his  heart  was 
more  heavy.  He  had  marked  the  blood-shot  eyes  of  the  vil- 
lain, and  the  villainous  satisfaction  expressed  on  every  fea- 
ture, and  noticed  that  he  was  somewhat  affected  by  whiskey, 
his  bread tli  fairly  reeking  with  it. 

"  I  am  having  a  fine  breakfast  made  ready  for  you,"  said 
Murlick,  as  he  in  I-'cated  the  dishes  placed  on  the  table.  "I 
will  call  your  daughter,  and  we  will  have  a  sociable  time 
together  P 

He  proceeded  to  Ethel's  state-room,  and  invited  her  to  ap- 
■  pear,  saying  that  Mr.  Vale  was  waiting  to  see  her.     She  join- 
•  ed  her  father  with  a  sad  but  affectable  greeting,  and  entered 
into  conversation  with  him. 

M  My  poor  child  !"  the  merchant  soon  exclaimed,  reaking 
I  in  upon  some  expression  of  consolation  she  was  trying  to 
\  impart  to  him.     "  It  is  killing  me  to  see  you  suffer  1" 

(They  mingled  their  tears  together, 
*  You  did  not  sleep  ?"  he  continued. 
"  No.     I  could  only  think  of  you  and  Edward !" 
Murlick  turned  away  with  a  malignant  scowl,  Ethel  having 
;  spoken  hi  a  tone  too  low  to  reach  his  hearing,  and  proceeded 
to  relieve  Capt.  Willis  of  chain  and  ball,  and  conduct  him  to 
the  table,  with  a  singulated  and  hollow  politeness. 

"  Now  you  must  all  be  quiet,  and  make  no  effort  to  escape 
,  or  otherwise  annoy  me,"  the  villain  then  said.     "  It  is  clear 
that  there  is  a  difference  of  ideas  and  inclinations  among  us, 
but  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not  eat  breakfast  so- 
so  ciably  together P 
He  seated  himself  at  tho  end  of  the  table,  with  a  bow  of 


54  THE   TRACK   OF    FIRE  J 

mock  politeness,  while  our  hero  and  Ethel  exchanged  greet- 
ings. 

"  May  I  ask,  Lieut.  Murlick  ?"  said  Mr.  Vale,  after  a  pause, 
what  direction  you  are  steering — where  we  are  going  ?" 

"  Well,  sir,  to  the  best  of  my  belief,"  replied  the  half- 
drunken  villain,  "  we  are  stearing  northwest,  and  are  bound 
for  almost  any  destination  to  which  I  may  be  pleased  to 
travel !" 

Mr.  Yale  could  not  fully  master  his  indignation  at  tins  re- 
sponse, and  he  accordingly  said  : 

"  You  will  yet  see  trouble,  Lieut.  Murlick,  in  the  career 
upon  which  you  have  entered.    Yon   were  sent  by  Captain 
Semmes  to  land  us  at  the  Cape,  and  you  have  no  business,  as 
a  naval  officer,  to  do  anything  more  or  less  than  your  instruo  . 
tions  command  and  warrant !" 

The  villain  laughed  jeeringly — insultingly. 

**  And  do  you  really  suppose  that  Capt.  Semmes  sent  mo 
to  the  Cape  to  land  you  and  the  rest  of  your  Yankees  V*  ho 
demanded,  half  arising.     '*  Nothing    of  the   kind.     I   came 
here  to  gain  the  latest  information  about  the  Vanderbili  and 
our  other  Federal  pursuers,  and  also  concerning  some  new 
war  steamers  that  Capt.  Semmes  is  daily  expecting  to  report 
to  him  here.     Land  you,  indeed  !     You  must  think  a  load  of; 
Yankees  of  some  account,  to  suppose  that  twelve  or  fifteen! 
of  us  would  come  all  this  way  with  you.     No.  sir,  we  camel 
with  the  intention  of  going  back  in  a   swift   steamer,  if  shoi 
had  made  her  appearance.      Had  it  not  been  for  this,  the 
prisoners  would  have  been  started  off  alone  in  the  bark,   to 
work  their  own  way  to  port,  as  we  have  so   often  done  by 
our  prisoners  heretofore  !" 

These  confidences  thoroughly  exposed  the  character  of 
the  man  and  of  the  cause  to  which  his  services  wero  de- 
Voted. 

"  Well  be  that  as  it  may/'  responded  Mr.  Yale,  "  you  have 
jio  business  to  treat  us  as  you  have  done.     It  is  not  possible? 
that  Capt.  Semmes,  much  less  the  so-called  government  you. 
serve,  can  look  approvingly  upon  such  villainy  as  you  haves 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    T1TB    MRATK    8EMMES.  55 

manifested  towards   my  daughter,  Captain  Willis,  and   my- 
self !" 

u  You  arc  right,  Mr.  Vale — Capt.  Semmes  and  the  Con- 
fer lerate  government  would  not  look  approvingly  upon  my 
conduct  in  this  matter — and  I  will  take  good  care  that  they 
do  not  look  upon  it  at  all,  either  approvingly  or  otherwise  !" 

A  stern  rebuke  arose  to  the  merchant's  lips,  but  he  did 
not  utter  it.  a  realization  of  his  utter  helplessness  teaching 
him  discretion.  He  partially  subdued  his  emotion,  by  the 
exercise  of  his  stern  will,  and  then  remarked : 

'•  You  choose  to  speak  in  enigmas,  Lieut.  Murlick !" 

"  Do  I  ?''  he  responded,  with  an  insulting  laugh.  "  You 
will  soon  be  able  to  read  the  riddle !" 

One  of  his  men  appeared  at  this  moment,  bearing  a  large 
tray  filled  with  refreshments,  including  almost  everything 
that  the  well  filled  larder  of  a  sea-captain  can  fnrnish.  A 
pot  of  steaming  coffee  completed  the  repast,  and  yielded 
auch  an  agreeable  aroma  to  the  air,  that  Mr.  Yale  and  Capt. 
Willis  felt  their  appetites  returning  to  them,  despite  their 
Borrows. 

Dismissing  his  servant — a  volunteer  from  the  forecastle — 
Murlick  drew  the  several  dishes  around  him,  and  commenced 
eating.  Mr.  Vale  felt  sick  at  heart  as  he  comprehended  that 
the  villain  had  made  such  a  pretense  of  giving  his  prisoners 
breakfast  only  to  tantalize  them. 

"  You  can  see  that  I  have  barejy  sufficient  for  one  such 
learty  man  as  I  am"  ;  the  villain  remarked,  pouring  himself 
i  cup  of  coffee.  "  I  suspect  that  you  will  put  on  airs,  if  I 
feed  you  too  well.  It  seems  desirable  to  teach  you,  even 
through  this  despised  medium,  as  well  as  in  other  ways,  that . 
[  am  the  master  of  your  several  destinies  !" 

Chained  as  he  was,  Capt.  Willis  was  sorely  tempted  to 
irise  and  seize  his  enemy.  He  had  measured  his  strength 
and  felt  that  he  could  strangle  hiih  with  his  fettered  hands% 
but  a  timely  realization  of  the  horrible  revenge  the  crew  of 
the  bark  would  wreak  upon  him  and  his  companions,  even  in 
oas^of  his  success,  caused  him  to  dismiss  the   temptation.   . 


$g  THIS   TftACK   0¥   FiEE; 

Accordingly  not  a  movement  was  made  by  the  prisoners, 
nor  a  word  uttered,  while  the  ruffian  ate  his  breakfast. 

u  There,  I  feel  a  little  better !"  finally  declared  Murlick, 
arising,  "  I  am  now  prepared  to  attend  to  business  !" 

He  called,  and  a  couple  of  his  men,  with  loaded  pistols  in 
their  hands,  came  out  of  his  state-room. 

"You  can  go  forward,  boys,"  remarked  Murlick  to  them," 
and  take  this  mess  with  you !" 

The  men  vanished  with  the  remains  of  his  breakfast,  and 
he  then  added : 

"  I  put  them  there,  as  a  precaution  against  any  sudden  out- 
burst of  rage  on  the  part  of  any  of  you.     That's  all  I" 

He  might  have  added  that  he  had  hoped,  by  his  late  tanta- 
lizing proceeding,  to  lead  our  hero  into  some  act  that  would 
warrant  him  in  calling  his  men  and  shooting  him  down  on 
the  spot.  The  patience  and  though tf illness  of  Capt.  AVillis 
had  alone  prevented  this  scheme  from  being  carried  out. 

Murlick  was  silent  a  moment,  lighting  a  cigar,  and  then  he 
seated  himself  at  the  end  of  the  table  opposite  his  prisoners, 
and  addressed  them  as  follows  : 

.  "  As  indicated,  I  am  now  ready  for  business.  I  love  your 
daughter,  Mr.  Tale,  and  wish  to  make  her  my  wife,  not  only 
for  her  own  intrinsic  value,  but  as  the  easiest  way  of  settling 
the  old  score  that  existed  between  us,  years  ago.  You  have 
probably  learned  by  this  timo  that  I  can  be  ugly,  and  you 
will  probably  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  I  ask  her  hand 
on  a  purely  business  basis.  All  of  you  are  in  my  hands,  and 
you  can  never  regain  your  liberty  except  on  such  terms  as  I 
^am  pleased  to  grant — " 

Say  no  more  on  this  subject,  Lieut.  Murlick,"  interrupted 
Mr.  Vale,  with  quiet  firmness,  although  his  face  was  deathly 
pale.  "I  would  sooner  see  my  child  in  her  coffin,  than  give 
her  to  you  in  marriage.  The  more  I  have  seen  of  you  dur- 
ing the  past  week,  the  more  firmly  am  I  convinced  that  the 
destruction  of  one  member  of  my  family  already  rests  at  your 
door.    I  allude  to  my  lost  son — " 

The  awful  look  of  triumph  that  lit  up  the  savage  face  of 
Murlick,  caused  ths  merchant  to  pause. 


OR,   A   CRUISE  WITH  THE  ?IRATE   8EXMZS.  57 

A  suppressed  cry  of  horror  escaped  Ethel. 

"  It  is  clear,"  6aid  Ned,  with  forced  calmness,  "  that  this 
man  has,  as  we  have  all  along  suspected,  the  secret  of  the 
fate  of  Ethd's  lost  brother  !" 

"  What  folly  is  this  ?"  exclaimed  Murlick,  after  schooling 
:  his  features  and  emotions  to  quietude,  "  You  are  talking  of 
i  something  that  does  not  concern  me,  and  that  I  do  not  un- 
derstand. Let  me  bring  you  back  to  my  proposition,  Mr. 
'  Vale.  If  you  will  give  me  Ethel  in  marriage — for  her  own 
consent  or  non-consent  I  care  nothing — I  will  forget  all  my 
past  hatred,  be  friendly  to  you,  give  Capt.  Willis  his  freedom, 
and  make  the  girl  a  good  husband.  Refuse  to  give  her  to 
me,  and  I  will  set  you  both  adrift,  this  night,  in  a  boat,  in 
mid-ocean,  and  hold  the  girl  captive  without  any  consent  at 
all  in  the  matter  1"     » 

This  horrible  threat  brought  Mr.  Yale  and  Capt  Willis 
both  to  their  feet,  manacled  as  they  were.  Their  eyes  bias- 
ed and  their  forms  shook  with  their  emotions. 

"  I  give  you  till  to-night  to  consider  the  proposal,"  pursued 
Murlick,  as  he  rolled  his  bloodshot  eyes  from  one  to  the 
other.  u  In  the  meantime,  you  will  do  well  to  realize  that  I 
have  a  force  at  command  to  carry  the  alternative  into  exe- 
cution.    See  here!" 

He  again  called,  and  two  more  of  his  men  completely 
armed,  came  out  of  his  state-room,  and  stood  awaiting  his 
orders. 

11  Shut  these  prisoners  up  exactly  as  you  disposed  of  them 
last  night,"  he  commanded, "  and  thereafter  keep  guard  over 
them  till  further  notice,  looking  in  upon  them  every  half* 
hour!" 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  Murlick  sauntered  on  deck. 

The  day  wore  slowly  away,  and  night  came  on. 

The  sky  was  half  hidden  by  scudding  clouds,  and  every- 
thing threatened,  at  no  distant  period,  a  tempest 

At  an  early  hour  of  the  evening,  the  prisoners  were  taken 
on  deck  by  several  of  the  confederates,  acting  tmder  MtB^ 
lick's  personal  directions. 

They  foun<i  the  bark  hovs  to  dn  flie  water. 


58  THE  TRACK   OF   FIRE; 


A  boat  without  oars,  sails,  or  provisions,  lay  alongside. 

"What  is  your  decision,  Mr.  Yale  ?"  asked  the  villain,  in  a 
hoarse  whisper. 

"  The  same  as  it  was  this  morning,  sir,  I'd  sooner  see  Ethel 
dead  than  grivo  her  to  you  !  We'd  all  sooner  be  hung  and 
quartered  than  consent  to  your  wickedness  !  We  leave  our- 
selves and  you  to  the  God  which  is  in  heaven!" 

"Enough! 

This  was  all  that  Murlick  said. 

Two  of  his  men  seized  Ethel  and  held  her  motionless. 

Four  others  seized  Capt.  Willis  and  Mr.  Yale,  and  lower- 
ed them,  bound  and  ironed,  into  the  boat. 

The  line  fastening  the  boat  to  the  bark  was  severed. 

The  boat  drifted  away,  disappearing  in  the  darkness. 

The  bark  resumed  its  course. 

And  a  wild  shriek  of  despair  and  horror  burst  from  the 
lips  of  Ethel,  and  she  sank  fainting  to  the  deck. 

God  of  mercy !  what  a  separation  had  come  I 


CHAPTER    X. 

TREACHERY. 


A  murmur  of  disapprobation  came  from  the  crew  of  the 
bark,  after  Murlick  had  thus  disposed  of  Mr.  Vale  and  Capt. 
Willis,  and  the  villain  called  a  couple  of  the  grumbling  tfCa* 
men  to  him,  saying  : 

"  Here,  if  you  are  so  tender-hearted,  carry  this  girl  down 
to  the  cabin  and  bring  her  to  her  senses !" 

The  men  obeyed  the  order  in  silence,  lifting  Ethel  carefully 
and  carrying  her  to  the  cabin,  where  they  bathed  her  face  in 
cold*  water  and  chafed  her  hands,  regarding  her  meanwhile 
with  pitying  looks. 

-The  poor  girl  soon  recovered  her  senses  and  started  to  her 
feet;  wilh  a' moaning  cry. 


OR,   A.   CRUISE   WITH   TIIE   PIRATE   BODIES.  50 

kintilv.  "  MVtke  the  best  yon  can  of  your  B!tnati<r\  Mis8,sc.d 
tnanic  Providence  tain  l  no  worse  !:' 

With  this  remark,  meant  to  bo  consoling,  he  ushered  her 
into  her  state-room,  and,  finding  the  key  still  in  the  loek, 
fastened  her  in. 

The  night  was  a  long  vision  of  horror  to  Ethel.  The  dash- 
ing of  the  waves  against  the  vessel  seemed  to  her  like  a 
requiem  over  the  death  of  her  loved  ones,  and  again  like 
mockings  and  rejoicings  that  struck  a  thrill  of  terror  to  her 
soul.  Every  breeze  that  filled  the  sails  seemed  to  her  laden 
with  their  dying  moans,  and  several  times  she  listened  in- 
tently, thinking  she  heard  them  call  her  name.  Iler  anguish 
was  to  deep  for  tears — she  could  only  press  her  hands  over 
her  hot  eye-balls  and  moan  despairingly.  At  times,  she 
paced  her  narrow  floor  wildly,  and  again  she  sank  down 
upon  her  couch— motionless  and  apparently  lifeless. 

In  the  morning,  Murlick  sent  her  some  bread  and  water, 
but  she  did  not  touch  it. 

The  villain  himself  did  not  corao  near  her  during  the  fore- 
noon, but  once  or  twice  sent  a  man  with  his  compliments,  and 
a  request  to  know  the  state  of  her  health. 

In  the  afternoon  the  wind  began  to  rise  and  soon  increased 
into  one  of  those  short-lived  but  terrible  gales,  well-known 
to  seamen  in  those  latitudes.  As  Ethel  heard  the  creaking 
of  the  ship  and  the  crackling  sound  of  the  straining  timbers, 
she  couid  hardly  repress  a  shriek. 

To  her  tortured  imagination  was  vividly  presented  the 
picture  of  that  little  oarless,  sailless  boat,  with  its  two 
heavily  ironed  and  helpless  prisoners,  tossing  Helplessly  on 
the  waters,  or  perhaps  ere  this'engulphed  in  the  yeast  of 
waves. 

The  wind  at  length  moderated,  and  then  sounds  of  confu- 
sion was  heard  on  the  deck. 

It  was  discovered  that  the  bark  had  sprung  a  leak,  and 
was  rapidly  filling. 

"  To  the  pumps  I"  shouted  Murlick,  as  his  men  commun- 
icated the  fearful  discovery. 


(50  THE   TRACK    OF    FIRE; 

The  men  sprang  to  their  work,  but  their  efforts  were  tin- 
availing.     The  water  gained  upon  the  pumps. 

"  Out  with  the  boats  !"  then  commanded  Murlick.  "  We 
must  abandon  the  bark,  boys,  and  trust  ourselves  to  luck. 
The  water  is  getting  calm.     Be  lively  !" 

The  boats  were  lowed  and  fdled  with  provisions  ;  a  com- 
pass and  other  necessary  articles  were  stowed  in  them  ;  and 
Murlick  then  went  for  Ethel.  He  ordered  her  trunk  to  be 
carried  out,  muttering : 

"  There's  plenty  of  room  for  it.  and  it  may  conciliate  her  to 
have  it  taken  along  !" 

The  haggard  face  and  wild  eyes  of  the  girl  were  noticed 
by  the  villain,  but  he  felt  no  sorrow  at  the  change  his  cruelty 
had  wrought.  The  thought  occurred  to  him,  however,  that 
she  might  attempt  to  jump  overboard,  and  he  therefore  re- 
solved to  guard  her  closely.  He  handed  her  down  into  the 
boat,  and  then  seated  himself  beside  her,  and  the  men  push- 
ed off. 

They  were  still  within  a  short  distance  of  the  bark,  when 
they  saw  her  make  a  sudden  plunge  forward,  and  then  go 
down,  disappearing  completely  from  their  view. 

"  Well,  boys,"  said  Murlick,  looking  back  to  the  spot 
where  the  bark  had  been,  "  we'll  keep  our  boats  together, 
and  perhaps  get  picked  up  to-morrow.  If  not,  we  have  pro- 
visions enough  to  last  until  we  can  make  some  point  on  the 
African  coast." 

The  boats  kept  together,  and,  the  night  being  brilliant  with 
moonlight  and  starlight,  the  men  kept  up  their  courage,  sing- 
ing songs  and  telling  yarns.  Ethel  wrapped  herself  up  in 
her  shawl,  and  shaded  her  face  with  her  straw  gipsey  hat 
and  then,  leaning  over  the  side  of  the  boat,  gazed  into  the 
dark  waters  of  the  ocean  with  a  strangely  fixed  gaze,  as  if 
expecting  to  see  the  ghastly  faces  of  her  loved  ones. 

All  night  she  sat  in  the  same  position,  sinking  into  a  de- 
spairing apathy,  and  never  once  removing  her  gaze  from  the 
sea,  and  not  oven  noticing  the  reflections  of  the  moon  and 
stars. 

About  the  middle  of  the  next  forenoon,  as  they  were 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  61 

skimming  along,  with  their  sails  spread  to  the  light  breeze. 
Murlick  suddenly  detected  a  sail  to  the  southward,  which 
threatened  to  cross  their  track.  A  flag  of  distress  was  in- 
stantly hoisted  and  was  soon  noticed,  and  in  the  course  of 
half  an  hour  or  more,  the  party  of  ship-wrecked  Confederates 
were  taken  on  board  of  a  first  class  ship. 

Murlick  instantly  fabricated  an  affecting  story  of  his  wreck, 
and  asked  the  commander  his  name  and  destination. 

"  My  name  is  Morris,"  replied  that  officer — an  intelligent 
looking  man  of  middle  age,  with  a  benevolent  expression  of 
countenance — "  and  this  is  the  brig  Mary  Ball,  of  New 
York,  bound  to  Mauritius." 

"  Wo  were  bound  to  Manilla,"  replied  Murlick,  "  and  will 
pay  you  liberally  for  our  passage  to  Mauritius,  if  you  will 
take  us." 

"  Certainly,"  replied  Capt.  Morris.  "I  would  not  be  so  in- 
human as  to  set  you  again  adrift.  I  will  land  you  at  Mauri- 
tius, and  you  can  proceed  thence  anywhere  you  choose." 

Ethel,  who  had  been  standing  near-  the  bulwarks,  under 
guard,  now  scanned  the  face  of  the  captain,  and,  feeling  con- 
fidence in  his  goodness,  as  expressed  in  his  face,  said  : 

"  May  I  have  a  moment's  conversation  with  you,  Capt. 
Morris  ?" 

The  captain  regarded  her  pale  and  earnest  face  a  moment, 
and  came  towards  her,  as  he  replied  : 

"  Certainly  Miss.     Can  I  do  anything  for  you  ?" 

Ethel  began  to  relate  her  persecutions  by  Murlick,  and 
describe  the  horrible  fate  to  which  he  had  subjected  her 
lover  and  father,  when  the  wily  villain  interrupted  her,  say- 
ing quietly : 

"  Excuse  me,  Capt.  Morris,  for  not  introducing  you  to  my 
sister  before.  She  was  accompanying  me  to  Manilla,  but, 
poor  girl !"  he  added,  with  assumed  grief,  "  our  wreck  and 
dangers  have  turned  her  brain — she  has  been  wild  and 
flighty  all  day — even  refusing  to  call  me  brother  !" 

Capt.  Morris  expressed  his  grief  at  Ethel's  afflictions,  and, 
feeling  reluctant  to  listen  to  the  girl's  supposed  ravings, 
said: 


62  THE    TRACK    OF    FIRE  ;  _ 

"  What  is-  your  name  sir  ?" 

"  Oh — all!''  stammered  the  villain.  "I  am  Horace  Jones, 
of  Portland !" 

"  Well.  Mr.  Jones,  I  will  give  you  and  your  sister  each  a 
state-room,  and  will  soon  arrange  accommodations  for  your 
men.  We  have  a  small  crew  and  would  be  glad  of  their  as- 
sistance for  the  short  time  they  will  bo  on  board.  Please 
follow  me.  Poor  girl,"  he  added,  in  a  lower  tone.  "  What 
horrible  things  she  does  imagine  !" 

Ethel  saw  that  she  had  nothing  to  hope  from  another  ap- 
plication to  Capt.  Morris,  and  therefore  submitted  quietly, 
when  Murlick  took  her  hand  in  a  grasp  and  led  her  to  the 
cabin.  The  captain  assigned  her  a  state-room,  and  the  girl's 
trunk  was  placed  in  it,  Murlick  locking  her  up  and  following 
the  captain  to  another. 

"  I  believe  you  said  you  were  short  of  hands,"  said  the 
villain,  carelessly,  after  inquiring  the  news.  "  You  are  wel- 
come to  the  services  of  my  men — and  mine  also,  if  neces- 
sary !" 

"  Oh,  no  !"  returned  Capt.  Morris,  unsuspiciously.  "  We 
have  nine  men,  and  yours  in  addition  will  give  us  a  hand- 
some complement.  We  left  port  with  fifteen  men,  but  it 
seems  as  if  some  strange  fatality  had  followed  us  ever  since. 
Six  of  the  men  have  died  of  fever,  fallen  overboard,  or  met 
with  some  fatal  accident,  so  that  your  arrival  is  a  real  god- 
send. I  will  have  a  good  breakfast  brought  clown  to  you 
and  your  sister,"  he  added.  "  Poor  child  !  What  a  pity  it 
is  necessary  to  lock  her  up  H 

He  left  the  cabin  to  give  orders  for  a  breakfast. 

An  infernal  gleam  of  joy  lighted  up  the  villain's  face,  as  he 
muttered  : 

4i  Only  nine  men  on  board  !  and  I  have  eleven  !" 

A  tempting  breakfast  was  soon  placed  before  Murlick,  and 
he  was  left  to  himself  to  eat  it.  His  first  movement  was  to 
release  Ethel  and  seat  her  beside  him  at  the  table. 

"  You  must  be  pretty  hungry  by  this  time,  my  dear,"  he 
observed,  as  ha   began  to  carve  the  meat  before  him.    *  I 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    THE    FIRATE    SEMMKS.  63 

hope  your  hunger  will  be  the  means  of  bringing  you  to 
terms." 

"  I  do  not  wish  for  food,"  said  Ethel,  rejecting  the  plate 
he  placed  before  her.     "  I  can  not  eat  I" 

The  villain  paused  and  regarded  her  intently.  As  he  ob- 
served how  wan  and  deathly  pale  her  face  was,  how  thin  she 
had  grown  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours,  and  how  intensely 
mournful  was  the  expression  of  her  countenance,  a  sudden 
fear  chilled  him. 

What  if  she  were  to  die  on  his  hands,  and  baulk  thus  his 
love  for  her  and  his  hate  for  her  father  ! 

As  hopeless  as  she  was,  it  occurred  to  Ethel  that  it  was  a 
duty  for  her  to  try  to  partake  of  the  food  offered  her,  and 
she  commenced  eating,  with  the  thought  that  her  lot  might 
yet  be  changed  for  the  better. 

"  That's  right !"  said  Murlick,  in  a  milder  tone,  as  he  help- 
ed himself  plentifully.  "  Always  make  the  best  of  your  sit- 
uation, my  dear  Ethel,  and  yield  gracefully  to  circumstances. 
By  so  doing,  you  will  prolong  your  life  and  save  yourself  a 
great  deal  of  trouble !  There  is  no  use  in  yielding  so  to 
grief  at  your  loss.  It  is  true  that  your  father  and  Capt.  Wil- 
lis are  food  for  fishes  before  this — I  do  not  remind  you  of 
this  to  make  you  feel  bad,  but  to  let  you  see  I  am  your  only 
protector,  and  that  the  most  sensible  thing  you  can  do  is  to 
conciliate  me.  You  have  realized  by  this  time  that  I  have 
power, and  that  I  can  use  it.  lam  now  going  to  lock  you  up 
and  attend  to  alittle  business  I  have  on  hand!" 

He  conducted  her  back  to  her  state-room  and  locked  her 
in,  and  then  sauntered  out  on  deck,  meeting  Capt.  Morris, 
and  entering  into  conversation  with  him,  after  which  he  pro- 
ceeded to  look  after  his  men. 

His  wicked  brain  had  conceived  a  daring  and  infamous 
plot — that  of  rewarding  the  kindness  of  his  host  with  afear- 
ful  treachery ! 

He  had  resolved  to  capture  the  vessel,  and  take  her  cap- 
tain and  crew  prisoners  I 

He  soon  placed  himself  in  communication  with  his  men, 
and  made  known  to  them  his  plan.    He  assured  himself  that 


64  THE    TKACK    OF    TIKE  ; 

they  "were  thoroughly  armed,  and  then  told  them  to  be  in 
readiness  for  his  signal,  winch  would  be  given  at 
the  most  favorable  moment. 

That  moment  soon  arrived. 

When  the  captain  and  his  mate  were  at  dinner  in  the 
cabin  and  entertaining  their  guest  with  anecdotes  and  every 
evidence  of  honest  hearted  hospitality,  Murlick  arose  from 
his  seat,  at  the  same  moment  that  three  of  his  men  entered 
displaying  their  weapons,  and  ordered  them  to  surrender  to 
the  officers  of  the  Confederate  States. 

"  Not  a  word — not  a  breath !"  he  said,  placing  his  pistol 
to  the  head  of  Capt.  Morris.  "  At  the  first  sound,  I'll  blow 
your  brains  out !" 

Two  of  the  men  were  offering  similar  arguments  to  the 
mate,  and  the  officers,  being  defenceless,  surrendered.  They 
were  speedily  bound  with  ropes,  which  were  found  in  one  of 
the  state-rooms,  and  gagged  and  stowed  away. 

Murlick  and  his  men  then  went  on  deck. 

The  man  at  the  wheel  was  secured  without  a  struggle,  hia 
suprise  at  the  manifestations  of  the  new  passengers  render- 
ing him  speechless. 

The  confederates  then  proceeded  to  the  forecastle  and 
surprised  the  crew  eating  dinner.  The  surprise  was  so  com- 
plete, that  there  was  little  or  no  resistance  to  the  menacing 
weapons  of  the  assailants,  and  they  were  speedily  placed  in 
a  powerless  condition,  under  guard,  in  the  hold. 

Murlick  then  rubbed  his  hands  jubilently. 

"  Well  done,  boys,"  he  said.  "  We  will  not  steer  for  the 
Dodo  islands !" 

lie  placed  one  of  his  men  at  the  wheel,  and  entered  into 
formal  possession  of  the  vessel,  examining  the  brig's  papers, 
hunting  for  the  money  with  which  Capt.  Morris  proposed  to 
purchase  his  cargo,  and  eventually  finding  it.  His  prize  put 
him  in  the  best  of  spirits,  and  he  resolved  to  say  nothing  to 
the  crew  in  regard  to  the  money,  but  divide  it  with  Semmes, 
seeing  that  hia  superior  officer  could  n»t  fail  to  detect  that 
it  was  in  his  possessien. 

During  the  three  or  four  days  that  followed  his  capture 


OR,    A    CRUISE    "WITH   THE    PIBATE   SEMMES.  65 

of  the  brig,  Lieut.  Murlick  left  Ethel  to  herself,  sending  her 
meals  regularly  to  her  and  once  or  twice  forcing  her  to  eat 
at  his  table.  He  did  not,  however,  annoy  her  with  protest- 
ations of  his  love,  and  a  sentiment  of  fear  began  to  mingle 
with  his  love  for  her,  as  he  marked  the  unearthly  bright- 
ness of  her  eyes  and  increasing  pallor  of  her  sweet  young 
face. 

On  the  fourth  morning  after  taking  the  brig,  Murlick  ar- 
rived in  sight  of  a  group  of  low  islands,  covered  with  trees, 
and  he  stood  at  the  wheel  as  the  vessel  was  turned  into  a 
narrow  and  deep  channel  between  the  two  largest  of  the 
group. 

He  suddenly  descried  a  small  picket-boat  as  it  darted  into 
a  channel  leading  into  a  lagoon,  and  immediately  shouted 
to  the  boatman,  giving  his  name. 

The  brig  was  the#  turned  into  a  narrow  channel  revealed, 
and  her  crew  thronged  the  deck.  At  the  same  moment  was 
revealed  to  their  gaze  the  Alabama,  disguised  in  a  new  coat 
of  paint,  lying  idly  in  a  small  inland  lagoon,  surrounded  on 
every  side  by  trees. 

The  picket  preceded  the  new  comers,  and,  when  they  had 
rounded  to  beside  the  steamer,  Capt.  Semmes  was  waiting 
on  his  deck,  surrounded  by  his  crew,  to  receive  them. 

Murlick  instantly  went  on  board  the  Alabama,  going  to 
the  cabin  with  Semmes,  where  they  remained  closeted 
nearly  an  hour  When  at  length  they  emerged  on  deck, 
there  was  a  satisfied  expression  on  the  countenance  of  the 
pirate  chief  that  was  duo  to  Murlick's  promise  of  dividing 
•with  him  his  spoils.  The  villain  ordered  his  prisoners  to 
be  brought  on  board  the  steamer,  and  Capt.  Morris  and  his 
men  were  stowed  away,  the  former  with  his  mate  in  a  state- 
room, the  latter  in  the  hold. 

Ethel  was  then  brought  to  Scmmes's  vessel. 

The  pirate  chief  could  not  resist  a  wondering  exclamation, 
as  he  noticed  the  difference  suffering  had  wrought  in  the 
maiden's  looks  since  she  had  left  his  vessel. 

Ethel  made  an  effort  to  appeal  to  him. 


66  THE   TRACK    OF    FIBE  | 

"  I  kn&w  all  about  it,"  said  Seimnes,  soothingly.  I've  heard 
the  whole  story  !" 

"  Oh,  no — you  have  not !"  said  the  poor  girl.  "  Let  me  tell 
ycu ;' 

"  Lbeg  you  to  make  your  statement  to  Lieut.  Murlick," 
interrupted  Semmes.  "  Ho  is  the  executive  officer  of  the 
vessel.  He  will  take  good  care  of  you,  my  dear  young  lady, 
so  have  no  fears.  You  will  please  excuse  me  now,  as  I  am 
really  very  busy !" 

Thus  dismissed,  Ethel  sorrowfully  followed  a  guard  to 
the  cabin  and  discovered  that  she  was  not  only  allowed  a 
state-room  but  free  range  of  the  cabin. 

Murlick  had  related  to  his  superior  officer  a  fictitious  story 
to  the  following  effect.  He  stated  that  his  prisoners  had  in 
some  way  freed  themselves  and  arisen  on  the  voyage  to  the 
Cape  ;  that  he  had  hidden  himself  in  a  water  cask ;  had  a 
day  or  two  later  rescued  his  men  in  the  most  heroic  man- 
ner ;  bad  provisioned  a  bark,  and  were  about  to  embark — it 
being  useless  to  attempt  to  regain  the  bark — Avhen  Ethel 
had  appeared  on  deck.  He  had  added  that  the  girl  was  about 
to  give  the  alarm  and  rouse  the  Yankees,  and  that  he  had 
seized  her  for  his  own  safety  and  the  safety  of  his  men,  and 
brought  her  with  him  to  protect  himself.  He  had  then 
given  a  brief  account  of  taking  the  brig,  and  was  compli- 
mented by  Semmes  for  his  action. 

Thus,  Ethel  was  completely  in  the  toils  of  her  enemy. 

The  treasure  stolen  from  the  brig  was  brought  on  board 
the  steamer  and  divided  equally  between  Semmes  and  Mur- 
lick. The  brig  was  then  cleared  of  her  valuables,  and  Sem- 
mes said : 

"  The  steamer  is  ready  to  start  immediately  on  a  new 
cruise  Lieut.  Murlick.  We  will  take  the  brig  with  us,  and 
burn  her  to-night,  on  the  open  sea!" 

The  arrangements  for  departure  were  speedily  made,  the 
anchor  weighed  and  the  vessels  stood  away  from  the  islands, 
into  the  oj)en  ocean. 

The  pirate  was  again  looking  for  her  prey  ;  and  at  night, 
Semmes  again  lighted   up  his   track  with  a  conflagration. 


b 


OK,   A    CRUISE    WITII   THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  57 

CHAPTER  XI. 


UNBIDDEN    GUESTS 


Capt.  "Willis  and  Mr.  Vale  tossed  helplessly  all  night  on 
the  ocean. 

How  they  suffered ! 

They  said  nothing  to  each  other  of  Ethel's  fate,  that  sub- 
ject being  too  horrible  for  them  to  approach. 

A  couple  of  hours  after  daylight  they  were  picked  up  by 
an  American  ship  bound  to  Calcutta. 

They  explained  their  misfortunes  sufficiently,  their  irons 
were  stricken  off,  and  they  were  kindly  cared  for,  the  com- 
mander of  the  ship  being  whole-souled. 

For  several  days  the  ship  continued  her  course  without 
the  occurrence  of  any  event  of  importance,  and  then,  one 
day,  about  booh,  a  steamer  was  seen  in  the  distance. 

It  was  at  once  suspected  that  she  was  a  pirate. 

She  stood  towards  the  ship. 

The  ship  spread  all  her  canvass  in  flight. 

The  steamer  gained  rapidly  .upon  her,  and  finally  displayed 
the  confederate  flag,  firing  again  as  a  signal  for  the  chase,  to 
heave  her  to. 

The  signal  was  not  obeyed. 

The  pursuer  came  nearer  and  nearer,  and  fired  another 
shot  which  passed  through  the  ship's  main-topsail. 

It  was  now  conceded  that  the  steamer  was  the  Ala- 
bama. 

*  It's  of  no  uso  to  run,"  said  the  commander  of  the  chase 
to  his  anxious  guests."  I  am  sorry  you  are  falling  into  con- 
federate hands  again,  but  there  is  no  help  for  it.  We  can't 
get  away — may  as  well  surrender — may  get  borded  !" 

He  ordered  his  mate  to  heave  to. 

"  Well,  do  not  say  anything  to  Capt.  Semmes  about  us," 
said  our  hero,  after  a  hurried  colloquy  with  Mr.  Vale.  *  We 
will  delay  our  return  to  the  steamer's  prison  as  long  as  we 


6$  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE; 

can.    "We  will  hide  in  the  hold  of  your  ship,  and  you  need 
not  mention  our  presence !" 

"  Agreed,  and  success  to  you !  Perhaps  you  can  get  up  a 
raft,  and  steal  away  in  the  darkness !" 

The  sails  of  the  ship  flapped  in  the  wind. 

Capt.  Willis  and  Mr,  Vale  had  scarcely  concealed  them- 
selves down  deep  in  the  hold  of  the  ship,  when  Capt.  Semnes 
reached  her  deck,  at  the  head  of  half  a  dozen  of  his  fol- 
lowers. 

u  Who  commands  this  vessel  ?"  he  demanded. 

The  commander  presented  himself. 

*  Let  me  see  your  papers!" 

The  papers  were  produced  and  examined. 
i  see,-'  commented  Semmes.     "  You  are   a  Yankee,  as  I 
expected P 

lie  took  possession  of  the  vessel,  with  his  usual  formula, 
announcing  his  own  name  and  that  of  the  steamer. 

"  I  hope  you  will  bond  the  vessel,  Capt.  Semmes,"  said 
the  helpless  commander,  ?  and  allow  me  to  proceed  on  my 
voyage.     It  can  do  you  no  good  to  burn  her  1" 

Semmes  shook  his  head  and  laughed. 

"  That  bond  business  is  used  up,"  he  said.  "  We  can  col- 
lect our  claims,  of  course,  at  some  future  time,  but  I  prefer 
to  strike  a  present  blow  at  your  commerce.  I  don't  take 
bonds  any  more,  or  I  should  be  happy  to  oblige  you.  I  shall 
burn  your  vessel  to  night  What  is  the  number  of  your 
crew  P 

The  commander  informed  him. 

"  Any  passengers  ?" 

11  We  did  not  take  a  single  one,  sir !" 

"  Umph  I  Please  come  aboard  with  me,  and  bring  your 
chronometer.  It  will  make  the  two  hundred  and  eleventh 
of  these  instruments  I  have  captured  since  leaving  Mo- 
bile !" 

It  was  now  near  the  close  of  day. 

The  crew  of  the  ship  was  transferred  to  the  steamer,  as 
were  such  parts  of  her  outfit  and  cargo  as  the  Confederates 
desired. 


OR,   A    CRriSE    WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  6§ 

The  crew  was  shut  up  in  the  hold,  and  the  commander 
and  his  mates  were  assigned  quarters  in  the  cabin,  and  given 
the  freedom  of  the  deck. 

The  water  being  smooth,  the  ship  was  made  fast  to  the 
Alabama,  and  both  lay  quiet  on  the  waters,  Semmes  being 
desirous  of  saving  his  coal,  and  thinking  that  he  might  as 
well  await  his  prey  there  as  elsewhere. 

The  few  goods  desired  by  the  captors  were  soon  removed 
to  the  steamer,  and  a  dreary  solitude  settled  around  the  spot 
in  which  Mr.  Yale  and  Capt  Willis  were  hidden. 

"  They'll  burn  the  ship  soon  after  dark,"  said  Mr.  Yale  ; 
V  and  we  must  change  our  quarters  to  the  steamer.  I  wish 
to  see  if  Murlick  has  come  back."     _„ 

"  If  he  has,"  responded  Capt.  Willis,  in  a  tone  of  implacable 
resolve,  "  we  may  at  least  punish  him  for  his  deeds." 

44  Yes.  Perhaps  he  brought  Ethel  back  with  him.  Perhaps 
if  we  succeed  in  getting  aboard  the  steamer  unseen,  we  may 
be  able  to  effect  her  rescue  !" 

They  discussed  the  perils  and  prospects  of  the  proposed 
movement,  and  determined  to  enter  upon  it  soon  after 
nightfall. 

14  The  most  of  the  sailors  won't  know  but  that  we  belong 
to  the  last  vessel  captured,"  said  Ned,  after  a  long  and 
thoughtful  silence.  "  I  think  we  can  effect  our  transfer  un- 
noticed !" 

They  made  their  way  to  the  deck. 

The  crew  of  the  Alabama  was  busy,  flying  to  and  fro,  and 
making  preparations  to  burn  the  prize. 

The  two  men  saw  that  they  had  not  started  an  instant  too 
soon. 

Some  of  the  Confederates  leaped  from  the  steamer  to  the 
deck  of  the  ship. 

"  Now's  our  time,"  whispered  Ned  to  Mr.  Yale,  as  a 
friendly  cloud  momentarily  obscured  the  light  of  the  moon 
"  Come  !" 

He  climbed  to  the  deck  of  the  steamer  assisting  Mr.  Yale 
to  follow  him. 

They  were  seen,  of  course— but  the  observers   supposed 


70  TUE    TRACK    OF    FIRE  J 

that  they  belonged  to  the  crew  of  the  steamer — to  the  party 
of  burners. 

The  men  who  had  boarded  the  ship  were  accumulating 
combustibles  to  fire  her. 

The  remainder  of  the  watch  were  preparing  the  Alabama 
to  haul  off  from  her  decoy,  into  the  surrounding  darkness. 

Capt.  Semmes  and  Lieut.  Murlick  were  both  busy,  moving 
about  and  giving  orders. 

Slouching  their  hats  and  turning  away  their  faces,  the 
two  intruders  glided  across  the  deck  quietly,  and  made  their 
way  down  into  the  lower  hold,  where  they  concealed  them- 
selves among  boxes  and  bales,  much  as  Murlick  had  hidden 
himself  on  board  the  bark. 

"  Thank  God !"  ejaculated  Mr.  Yale,  in  a  voice  husky  with 
grateful  emotion.  "  We  are  here  undetected  ?  They  do  not 
know  of  our  presence !" 

Ned  pressed  his  hand  warmly. 

"  Perhaps  Ethel  was  brought  here,  he  said.  u  We  may 
yet  be  able  to  communicate  with  her,  and  even  bear  her 
away  with  us  "' 

"  Oh!  if  we  could  do  so — if  I  could  once  more  see  you  to- 
gether safe  and  happy — I  could  die  without  a  murmur !" 

"  Let  us  be  strong  and  hope  for  the  best.  It  is  a  great  en- 
couragement that  we  are  here  unbidden  guests  in  their 
midst." 

"  Yes.  But  what  shall  be  our  next  move  ?" responded  Mr. 
Yale.  "  Our  object  is  to  see  if  Ethel  is  here,  to  see  if  we  can 
rescue  her,  to  punish  Murlick,  and  to  investigate  the  resem- 
blance borne  me  by  that  midshipman." 

Ned  started,  and  a  flush  appeared  on  his  face. 

"  I  had  not  thought  of  him,"  he  said.  "  My  mind  was  else- 
where— but  he's  the  very  man  to  aid  us  in   this   extremity .% 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?" 

"  I  know  it.  Let  him  be  who  or  what  he  will,  I  know  that 
he  will  not  turn  a  deaf  ear  to  our  wrongs  and  suffering.  I 
had  but  a  passing  glimpse  of  his  face,  but  I  saw  enough  of 
him  in  that  moment  to  know  that  he  is  out  of  place  here.    He 


OR,    A   CRUISE   WITH    TOE   PIRATE    SEMME8.  71 


has  the  only  prepoMessing  countenance  that  I  have  seen 
among  the  officers  ana  crew  of  this  vessel  !n 

Mr.  Vale  choked  down  the  wild  hopes  which  had  momen- 
tarily thrilled  him,  and  asked  : 

"  You  think  then,  that  we  had  better  make  an  effort  to  see 
this  midshipman,  as  our  first  move  ?" 

"  Yes.  I  will  leave  you  here,  and  go  on  deck.  I  had  bet- 
ter go,  instead  of  you,  there  being  more  men  about  my  size 
and  height  than  of  yours.  You  must  keep  up  your  courage. 
I  will  do  all  that  I  can  do.     Let  us  hope  in  God's  mercy. 

He  wrung  the  hand  of  the  merchant  with  a  feeling  expres- 
sion of  affection,  and  hurried  to  the  deck  ! 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    MYSTERIOUS    MIDSHIPMAN. 


The  ship  had  been  fired  in  several  places  and  was  now  in 
flames,  throwing  a  red  glare  far  over  the  waters. 

The  steamer  had  withdrawn  beyond  the  circle  illuminated 
by  it,  and  lay  quiet  in  the  darkness. 

The  greater  portion  of  the  crew  had  collected  on  the  bow 
of  the  Alabama  and  were  looking  towards  the  burning 
vessel. 

Casting  a  sharp  glance  around,  Ned  was  gratified  to  see 
the  object  of  his  search  at  no  great  distance,  leaning  over 
the  bulwarks  amidships  and  gazing  abstractedly  into  the  sea. 

It  struck  Ned  as  something  singular  that  his  face  was 
turned  away  from  the  burning  ship,  and  that  his  attitude 
was  one  of  dejection. 

Noticing  that  he  stood  alone,  the  young  captain  glideu 
towards  him  without  attracting  the  attention  of  the  confede- 
rates, and  laid  his  hand  on  his  arm. 

The  midshipman  started,  and  uttered  an  exclamation. 

"  Hush  !"  said  Ned,  in  a  low  tone.  "  Do  not  call  attention ! 
I  would  like  to  speak  with  you  confidentially  a  few  min- 
utes— " 


72  THE   TRACK    OP   FIRB  J 

"  Certainly,"  replied  the  midshipman.jjolitely.  "  Will  you 
come  to  my  state-room  ?  I  suppose  you  are  one  of  the  new 
prisoners.  If  I  can  do  anything  for  you,  I  shall  be  glad  to 
know  it!" 

i     "  I  will  remain  here,  if  you  please,"  replied  Ned,  looking 
''cautiously  around  him.     May  I  ask  your  name  ?" 

"  It  is  James  Murlick." 

"  You  are  then,  the  son  of  Lieut.  Murlick  ?" 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  young  man,  after  a  moment's  hesita- 
tion— 

This  statement  was  followed  by  an  awkward  pause,  dur- 
ing, which  our  hero  regarded  his  companion  narrowly,  look- 
ing in  vain  for  some  resemblance  to  the  villain. 

In  the  clear  moonlight  he  noticed  the  young  man's  slight 
figure,  his  frank  boyish  face,  with  its  broad  high  brow,  its 
clear  dark  eyes,  and  general  expression  of  nobleness  and 
manliness. 

"  Can  it  be  ?"  he  asked  himself.  "  This  youth  has  not  a 
point  of  resemblance  to  the  lieutenant — is  noble  and  good,  I 
am  sure!  There  must  be  some  mystery  here !  The  best 
way  to  awaken  his  confidence  is  to  be  confidential !" 

He  determined  to  appeal  to  the  midshipman  in  plain  and 
direct  terms. 

"Letme  tell  you  who  and  what  I  am"  he  said,  aloud,  glancing 
around  him  as  he  spoke,  and  assuring  himself  that  the  offi- 
cers and  crew  were  all  absorbed  in  watching  the  burning 
craft.  <;  My  name  is  Willis — I  was  captain  of  the  Ocean 
Cloud  destroyed  by  Semmes  two  weeks  ago — " 

The  midshipman  uttered  an  exclamation,  and  regarded  our 
hero  with  interest,  appearing  to  call  him  to  his  memory. 

Ned  then  went  on  L  state  the  events  that  had  followed 
his  capture,  told  of  Mr.  Vale  and  his  daughter,  and  their 
persecutions  by  Murlick,  and  detailed  everything,  as  briefly 
as  possible,  up  to  the  moment  of  his  present  interview  with 
the  midshipman.  The  interest  of  the  listener  in  the  narra- 
tion was  intense,  and  when  the  narrator  had  concluded,  the 
youth's  face  expressed  the  utmost  horror. 

■  And  this  is  the  man  I  have  called  father !"  he  said,  with 


OK,   A   CRUISE    WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  73 

a  singular  agitation.  "  His  cruelty  is  even  greater  than  I 
knew  or  imagined.       • 

He'  was  silent  a  moment,  struggling  with  his  emotions, 
and  then  continued : 

"  Let  me  respond  to  your  confidences,  Capt.  Willis,  with 
my  own  history — that  is,  if  it  will  not  trouble  }'ou  to  listen 
to  it.     I  promise  not  to  detain  you  long  !" 

"  I  desire  nothing  better  than  to  hear  your  history!"  res- 
ponded Capt.  Willis.  "  I  have  a  greater  desire  to  know  it 
than  you  can  imagine  !'' 

The  young  man  looked  surprised,  and  our  hero  added. 

44  I  will  explain  when  you  have  finished  1" 

The  midshipman  flashed  a  quick  glance  around  him, 
noticing  that,  though  one  or  two  of  the  seamen  were  cross- 
ing the  deck,  he  and  his  visitor  were  unnoticed.  The  ship 
was  now  a  mass  of  flames,  so  that  almost  every  eye  was  riv- 
eted upon  it,  or  looking  eagerly  for  prey. 

44  The  first  I  remember,"  began  the  youth,  in  a  tone  of 
emotion,  "I  was  living  with  a  couple  of  poor  whites,  near 
New  Orleans.  They  were  completely  ignorant  and  degraded, 
being  lower  in  intelligence  than  any  negro  I  ever  met,  op- 
pressed with  poverty  and  wretchedness,  and  by  no  means 
honest  When  I  was  five  or  six  years  old,  I  remember  that 
my  father — Abner  Murlick — came  to  see  me,  and  appeared 
pleased  witli  my  appearance,  which  must  have  been  more 
or  less  like  my  companions.  That  was  the  first  time  I  ever 
remembered  to  have  seen  him.  The  people  with  whom  I 
lived,  had  told  me  that  he  brought  mo  to  them  when  I  was 
little  more  than  a  year  old.  He  gave  them  a  scanty  pittance 
for  taking  care  of  me,  and  enjoined  them  to  bring  me  up  in 
their  habitual  filth  and  ignorance  !" 

Ned  expressed  his  surprise. 

"  But  his  designs  were  providentially  frustrated,"  continu- 
ed the  midshipman.  "  When  I  was  about  six  years  old,  I 
had  the  good-fortune  to  attract  the  attention  of  a  kind  city 
missionary,  by  some  exhibition  of  childish  wit,  and  he  imme- 
diately had  me  suitably  clothed  and  sent  to  school,  where  I 
rapidly  progressed.    The  people  with  whom  I  lived,  soon 


74  THE    TRACK    OF    FIRE  J  ,  £» 

looked  up  to  me,  regarding  me  as  a  superior  being.  The  man 
died,  and  I  found  it  easy  enough  to  get  along  with  the  wo- 
man, even  exciting  her  pride  to  keep  clean  and  honest  I 
was  soon  beyond  the  common  school  in  which  I  had  been 
placed,  and  the  kind  missionary  enlisted  some  friends  in  my 
behalf,  and  sent  me  to  a  first-class  high-school.  When  I  next 
saw  my  father  I  was  sixteen,  well-dressed,  versed  in  the 
languages,  mathematics  and  current  literature,  and  fond  of 
study.  He  was  disappointed  in  me.  His  rage  was  awful. 
He  had  wished  me  to  grow  up  in  ignorance  and  vice,  and 
fairly  raved  at  the  woman  in  whose  charge  he  had  put  me. 
I  have  never  known  what  to  make  of  his  conduct  at  that 
time.  He  immediately  removed  me-  from  school,  and  kept 
me  awhile  with  him,  finally  insisting,  after  the  out-breaking 
of  the  war,  on  my  becoming  a  middy  on  board  the  Alabama, 
to  which  he  had  himself  been  appointed.  Again,  then,  was  a 
bitter  scene  between  us.  My  heart  was  with  the  North — 
perhaps  from  the  fact  that  my  kind  friend,  the  missionary, 
was  a  Northerner.  I  refused  at  first  to  join  the  Confederates, 
but  a  variety  of  circumstances  induced  me  to  re-consider  ray 
refusal.  In  the  first  place.  I  could  not  make  my  way  North. 
In  the  second,  Lieut.  Murlick— for  I  cannot  call  him  father- 
threatened  to  denounce  me  as  a  traitor,  and  have  me  arrest- 
ed. Filial  duty,  a  hope  of  mitigating  the  hardships  of 
prisoners,  etc.,  did  the  rest,  and  I  consented.  Since  then, 
he  has  kept  me  almost  constantly  under  his  own  eyes,  treat- 
ing me  as  though  he  hated  me,  and  often  I  have  encounter- 
ed such  looks  in  his  eyes  as  have  almost  caused  me  to  fear 
him." 

He  paused,  as  Ned  looked  around,  but  the  pirates  wero 
still  engaged  at  the  end  of  the  vessel,  and  he  continued : 

u  Parting  the  various  facts  of  his  conduct  towards  me  to- 
gether, and  remembering  his  horrible  barbarity  in  wishing 
to  bring  me  up  in  ignorance  and  wickedness,  I  have  lately 
concluded  that  there  is  a  mystery  in  the  matter — that  he 
hates  me — that  I  am  not  his  son  !"' 

Ca.pt.  Willis  was  even  more  agitated  at  the  youth's  worda 
than  the  midshipman  himself. 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  75 

"  You  are  right!"  he  said.  "  I  do  not  believe  that  you  are 
his  son.  It  seems  to  mo  that  ho  has  stolen  you  from  an  ene- 
my, proposing  to  wreak  a  horrible  revenge  by  making  a  brute 
of  you!' 

"  Stolen  me  !"  repeated  the  youth.  "  Perhaps  you  are  right. 
Everything  in  my  history,  as  far  as  he  is  concerned,  goes  to 
confirm  your  idea  !  Do  you  know  anything  about  it  ?  Your 
manner  seems  to  indicate  that  you  do !" 

"  It  is  possible  that  I  have  a  clue  to  the  secret.  You  saw 
my  friend,  Mr.  Vale.  Years  ago  he  married  the  girl  whom 
Murlick  loved,  but  who  rejected  him,  and  their  first  child,  a 
boy  named  Eugene,  was  stolen  from  them.  They  suspected 
Murlick,  owing  to  threats  he  had  circulated  against  them. 
That  boy  would  be  twenty  years  old  now — just  your  age — > 
and  your  singular  resemblance  to  Mr.  Vale,  confirms  my  hope 
and  belief  that  you  are  his  missing  son  !" 

The  youth's  agitation  was  excessive. 

"  Is  it  possible  ?"  ho  ejaculated,  "  Oh,  I  pray  your  words 
may  be  true  !  I  can  imagine  no  joy  equal  to  that  of  having 
an  honorable  and  loving  father  !" 

"  In  that  case,"  proceeded  Ned,  "  your  real  name  is  Eugene 
Vale,  and  you  have  not  only  a  father  but  a  lovely  sister. 
The  young  girl,  Ethel  Vale,  whom  you  saw  with  us " 

Ned  was  interrupted,  not  only  by  his  own  griefs,  and  the 
thoughts  that  thronged  upon  him  in  relation  to  his  betrothed, 
but  by  his  companion's  emotion, 

"  And  that  young  girl,  who  so  excited  my  sympathy,  final- 
ly ejacul$*f£d  the  youth — '"  who  is  now  mourning  in  her  state- 
room is,  perhaps,  my  own  sister !  What  joy  to  prove  your 
suspicions  true,  Capt.  Willis  !" 

The  young  captain  turned  deathly  pale,  as  these  words  fell 
on  his  ears.     His  brain  fairly  reeled. 

"  Ethel  in  the  cabin  ?"  he  ejaculated.  "  Is  she,  then,  in- 
deed, so  near  me  ?" 

The  midshipman  instantly  comprehended  the  state  of  af«, 
fairs  between  the  young  couple,  and  went  on  to  tell  of  Mur- 
lick's  arrival  with  the  girl,  and  the  story  with  which  he  ex- 


76  THE    TRACK   OP    FIRE; 

plained  her  presence.  He  then  recalled  the  attention  of  our 
hero  to  himself. 

"  If  I  were  really  the  lost  son  of  Mr.  Yale,"  he  said,  "  how 
could  he  ever  know  it  ?  Is  there  any  way  by  which  ho  could 
ever  really  decide  the  fact,  beyond  all  cavil  ?" 

"  There  is.  He  spoke  to  me  of  a  mark  on  his  son's  arm, 
by  which  he  should  know  him,  were  he  ever  to  meet  him !" 

"  A  mark  on  his  arm  !"  repeated  the  youth,  fairly  reeling, 
while  his  face  became  deathly  pale.  "  Oh,  heaven !  I  have 
such  a  mark !" 

"  You  have  ?  All  these  circumstances  point  to  the  fact 
that  you  are  the  missing  son  of  Mr.  Yale,  for  whom  he  has 
sorrowed  so  many  years.  You  bear  a  singular  resemblance 
to  him,  and  the  more  I  see  of  you  the  more  you  remind  me 
of  him — your  very  manner  and  voice  seeming  like  his.  I 
cannot  resist  the  conviction — " 

"  Hush  !  Lieut.  Murlick  is  approaching  !"  whispered  the 
midshipman,  hearing  the  familiar  step  of  the  lieutenant  on 
the  deck.  "  Lean  over  the  bulwarks  and  look  at  the  water. 
I'll  be  with  vou  a^ain  in  ten  minutes  !" 

"  He  stepped  away  from  Xed  and  met  Murlick. 

M  I  wish  to  see  you,  James,"  said  the  lieutenant,  with  a 
sharp  glance  at  Xed,  who  had  obeyed  the  middy's  suggestion, 
and  was  looking  into  the  water  with  his  back  to  the  new" 
comer. 

The  youth  followed  Murlick  to  the  cabin,  and  our  hero 
waited  patiently  for  his  return.  His  thoughts  were  busy 
with  his  betrothed,  with  the  midshipman  and  with  the  pa- 
tient and  suffering  father  in  the  hold. 

An  hour  glided  away,  and  still  the  youth  did  not  return. 
The  decoy  ship  was  burning  down  close  to  the  water's  edge, 
and  the  crew  of  the  pirate,  dissappointed  of  their  expected 
prey,  were  preparing  to  turn  in.  And  still  Ned  stood  un- 
noticed and  overwhelmed  with  fearful  forebodings  at  the 
steamer's  side. 

He  waited  another  hour — a  third — and  still  he  saw  no  sign 
of  the  midshipman.    Horrible  anxieties  came  over  him.     Ho 


OR,    A   CRUI8E   WITH   THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  77 

dared  not  linger  longer  where  ho  was,  lest  he  should  attract 
attention.     Sick  at  heart  he  returned  to  Mr.  Vale. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE    MIDSHIPMAN'  INVESTIGATES  MATTERS. 

Murlick  led  the  way  towards  the  cabin,  followed  by  the 
midshipman,  after  the  interview  of  the  latter  with  Ned,  as 
recorded. 

Suddenly,  the  youth  paused. 

"  One  word,  Lieut.  Murlick,"  he  said,  "  before  we  proceed 
further.     I  wish  to  ask  you  a  question  !" 

Murlick  started,  and  regarded  him  with  an  air  of  mingled 
surprise  and  inquiry. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  James  ?"  ho  inquired.  "  Why  don't 
you  call  me  father,  as  usual  ?" 

The  youth  hesitated  a  moment  and  then  said  : 

"  I  will  tell  you  why.  It  is  because  I  am  not  certain  that 
you  bear  that  relationship  to  me,  sir  !" 

Murlick  looked  at  him  with  a  face  of  blank  amazement. 

"  Not  certain  that  I  am  your  father  ?"  he  stammered.  "  I 
think.  James,  that  you  must  have  broken  your  puling  temper- 
ance pledge,  and  got  tipsey !  You  had  better  clear  your 
head  of  such  nonsense  as  quickly  as  possible  !" 

"  Excuse  me,  sir,"  replied  the  midshipman,  quietly,  but 
firmly.  "  You  have  never  treated  me  as  a  father  would  a 
son,  and  I  have  reflected  much  on  the  subject  lately — " 

"  Indeed  !"  sneered  Murlick.  "  What  conclusion  did  you 
arrive  at !" 

"  That  you  are  not  my  father,  and  that  you  bear  some 
grudge  against  me  !"  was  the  frank  reply,  "  I  wish  to  know 
who  I  am — how  I  came  in  your  hands — why  you  have  so  long 
ill-treated  me,  and  who  my  parents  are !" 

Murlick's  face  grew  almost  black  with  rage. 
,    "  I  don't  know  where  you  picked  up  all  this  romantic  non- 


78  Jt.'  THE   TRACK   OP    FIRE; 

sense,"  he  said,  "  but  if  you  need  my  declaration  "that  you 
are  my  son,  you  can  have  it !  We  will  leave  any  further 
discussion  on  this  subject  to  some  future  time.  I  have  now 
something  for  you  to  do  !" 

He  led  the  way  to  his  state-room,  the  middy  following, 
and  then  said  : 

"  Here  is  some  copying  for  you  to  do.  I  am  going  in  to 
see  Capt.  Semmes,  and  expect  to  have  it  completed  by  my 
return." 

He  indicated  a  quantity  of  paper  on  the  table,  and  then 
left  the  youth  to  his  duty,  which  was  one  to  which  he  was 
accustomed,  he  copying  all  the  papers  entrusted  to  him  by 
Murlick  for  that  purpose. 

He  was  dissatisfied  at  the  result  of  his  interview  with  his 
pretended  father,  and  his  suspicions  were  confirmed  that  he 
was  not  his  son. 

As  he  seated  himself  at  his  appointed  work,  with  tho  in- 
tention of  hastening  his  return  to  Capt.  Willis,  the  sounds  of 
low  sobbing  fell  on  his  ears.  It  evidently  came  from  an  ad- 
jacent state-room. 

"Ah.!  the  daughter  !"  he  ejaculated,  starting  to  his  feet. 
"  The  poor  girl  is  weeping  over  tho  supposed  death  of  her 
father  and  lover.  I  must  relievo  her  on  that  point  and  pre- 
pare her  to  see  them  and  escape  with  them  1" 

He  drew  the  key  out  of  the  lock  of  his  state-room,  and 
crossed  the  deserted  cabin,  unlocking  her  door,  and  entering 
her  presence. 

He  closed  the  door  behind  him. 

Slight  as  was  the  sound  he  made  in  doing  so,  tho  ghl  was 
aroused  and  lifted  her  head  from  its  bowed  position  on  the 
little  table. 

The  midshipman  was  startled  by  the  unearthly  beauty  of 
her  face,  her  luminous  eyes  and  deathly  pale  countenance 
being  fully  revealed  in  tho  dim  light  of  a  lantern  hanging  on 
her  wall. 

She  looked  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"  Hush,  lady  !"  whispered  the  youth.  "  Do  not  speak  load 
enough  to  betray  my  presence  here  !" 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  79 

foul"  Fl^dniPDUm/  ■*»***■*  at  his  uni- 
form       Father  told  me  about  you-about  your  errant  r» 
semblance  to  him.     How  strange  l»  g    Ie" 

IrSl^^   his   Stra^c   ^keness  to  her 
lamer  and  looked  at  him  attentively 

"I*dy,  setting   aside  all  questions  of  this  k;,K,  -  ,10  ,-jd 
dead-"  •       °U  Uunk  yom  fathCT  ™ J  Oapt  Wiffia 

C  r  7  UOt  dead  ?     D°  yTO  W  «**4  about 

JSSSiCS quietIy  in  his  ** he  «  *  * 

B  Jamer  r67  "'  "*  ^    T^  -  8afe  °"  *—  this  very 

ea™&ia'ffcSMi    countenance,  and  she 
t fl  n  u  em°tl0n-     The  tears  «»«  had   refused 

o  AW  ,n  all  her  terrible  anguish,  now  burst  forth  freely  re 
hevmg  her  brain  of  the  fearful   pressure  it     T  lref)y'rf 
and  easing  her  oppressed  heart  ^   6UStamed' 

co:mrae„dthI^ot:nerSr'She  aSk6d'aS  ~   *•  could 

.captured  vessel!   £  nave  ^J^^^ 
by  and  by,  when  all  gets  still  for  the  niirfct      tt  !      P  ' 

I"  Is  your  own  door  unlocked  ?"  asked  Eth^l  tl       1    , 
itrument  and  putting  it  in  her  pocket!  '  ^  **  * 

Yes.     And  now  I  must  leave  you     I  exnwt  t«  ^  •  + 
.Pted  evervinstan,     Bonot  takeany  i^T  *  ^ 

tel^n? nS,hriS  encoura*inS  "marks  to  her,  aud  telling  her 
*>  lock  herself  ,n,  the  youth  returned  to  his  Siting. 


80  THE   TRACK  OF  FIRJ  I 

His  task  was  hardly  completed  when  Murlick  came  in. 

"  I  have  been  talking  to  Capt.  Semmes  about  you,"  said  the 
villain,  after  examining  the  young  man's  work, "  and  you  will 
consider  yourself  under  arrest,  till  further  notice.  If  you 
can't  remember  that  I  am  your  father,  sir,  }-ou  shall  remem- 
ber that  I  am  your  superior  officer  !" 

"  Under  arrest  ?"  repeated  the  midshipman. 

"  Yes.  Go  to  your  quarters,  and  remain  there  till  further 
orders  !" 

Without  a  word,  but  with  a  proud  and  defiant  look,  the 
midshipman  went  to  his  quarters  and  shut  himself  in. 

u  I'll  stay  here  till  Murlick  goes  to  bed,"  he  muttered, 
"  and  then  sally  forth.  I  must  and  will  aid  those  prisoners, 
whether  there  is  anything  in  ail  these  suspicions  of  relation- 
ship, orNnot.  This  night  shall  see  them  out  of  this  steam- 
er and  beyond  the  power  of  that  bad  man  \n 


p  >    m  *  »■    « < 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    MIDNIGHT    FLIGHT. 

Capt.  "Willis  found  Mr.  Vale  almost  wild  with  anxiety  and 
apprehension,  on  returning  to  him. 

"  I  feared  that  you  were  captured,"  he  whispered — "  did 
not  know  but  you  were  dead.  Oh !  what  waiting  and  watch- 
ing!" 

Ned  stated  that  he  had  had  a  similar  experience,  and  has- 
tened to  narrate  all  he  had  heard  and  seen,  Mr.  Vale  listen- 
ing with  the  greatest  interest. 

"  Strange  that  he  did  not  come  back  to  you !'  the  mer- 
chant commented.  "  What  can  have  happened  ?  Can  it  be 
that  his  dealings  with  you  were  discovered?  Is  it  possible 
that  he  has  betrayed  you  ?" 

*  No.  He  is  noble  and  honest,  and  thoroughly  devoted  to 
us.     I  will  answer  for  his  good  faith,  with  my  life.     My  ex- 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    THE    PIRATE    SE.MMES.  81 

planation  of  his  non-return  is  that  his  lukewarmness  in  the 
Confederate  cause  has  brought  suspicion  upon  him,  and  that 
he  has  been  arrested  on  some  charge  or  another." 

The  merchant  groaned. 

"  Then  we  arc  left  to  our  own  resources,"  he  said,  moan- 
ingly.  "  It  is  something,  however,  to  know  that  Ethel  is 
here.  In  regard  to  the  question  of  his  identity  with  my  lost 
son,  what  is  your  opinion  ?" 

Ned  hesitated  a  moment,  and  then  said  : 

"  Perhaps  I  had  better  not  answer  your  inquiry,  Mr.  Vale. 
We  are  in  great  trouble  ;  everything  seems  uncertain  ;  and 
perhaps " 

"  I  insist  on  an  answer,  Xed,"  interrupted  Mr.  Vale.  "  You 
have  seen  this  young  stranger,  and  have  had  an  opportunity 
of  forming  a  trustworthy  opinion  on  this  matter.  Speak 
frankly  to  me,  Ned — I  can  bear  it!" 

i;  I  think,  then,  that  this  same  young  midshipman  is  your 
lost  boy — your  Eugene  !" 

For  a  moment  the  listener  seemed  strangling  with  the 
emotions  this  declaration  caused  him. 

"  Have  you  no  doubts  on  the  subject?" 

"  Not  one.  Everything  points  him  out  as  the  missing  son, 
even  as  everything  points  at  Murlick  as  his  abductor. 

Mr.  Vail  struggled  with  his  emotions  a  moment  in  silence 
and  then  said  : 

"  How  we  are  placed,  if  your  impression  is  the  truth.  All 
of  us  in  the  power  of  one  foe — brother,  sister,  intended  son- 
in-law,  and  father  !     Strange  !  strange  !" 

Xed  echoed  the  sentiments,  adding  : 

"  And  perhaps  all  these  events  have  been  providentially 
ordered  by  the  Great  Master  of  events,  to  restore  your  lost 
son  to  you !  At  least,  we  will  hope  for  the  best.  The  Con- 
federates are  now  dismissing  all  hopes  of  being  favored  with 
j  a  prize  to-night,  and  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two  all  will 
!  be  still.  We  must  wait  till  that  time,  and  then  make  an 
attempt  to  communicate  with  Ethel.  Since  the  midshipman 
knows  where  we  are  hiddden,  he  is  liable  to  appear  her© 
any  moment"  l 


82  THE   TKACK   OP   FIBE  J 

"  Yes.     Let  us  wait  awhile  in  patience  for  his  coming  1" 

Another  hour  passed. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  something  serious  has  happened  to  our 
young  friend,"  Ned  finally  observed.  "  I  will  slip  up  to  the 
deck  and  reconnoitre." 

He  did  so.  He  found  the  deck  unusually  quiet,  the  watch 
being  gathered  forward  and  remaining  inactive. 

He  peered   into   the  cabin,  and    saw  Capt.    Semmes   and 
Lieut.    Murlick   seated  by  a  table  and  conversing  with  each.( 
other. 

He  had  regarded  them  but  a  moment,  when  they  arose  and ! 
came  on  deck. 

He  crouched  under  the  bulwarks,  watching  them,  and 
keeping  perfectly  still. 

"  We  will  lie  quiet  till  morning,  Murlick,"  observed 
Semmes.  "We  must  be  saving  of  our  coal,  or  we  shall  get 
out  before  we  make  port.  After  all,  perhaps  we  shall  en- 
counter a  vessel  just  as  soon  where  wc  are  as  to  be  steaming 
at  full  speed !" 

Exactly.  We  are  now  in  the  usual  track  of  East-Indiamen, 
and  may  soon  have  a  prize." 

The  two  men  conversed  a  few  moments  longer,  speaking 
about  the  weather,  their  prospects,  etc.,  and  then  returned  to 
the  cabin.  Ned  understood  that  they  "were  about  retiring 
for  the  night,  and  a  gleam  of  hope  flashed  into  his  mind. 

He  hurried  back  to  Mr.   Vale. 

"  We  had  better  wait  awhile,"  he  whispered.  "  Our  pres- 
ence here  is  still  unknown  to  Murlick,  and  he  and  Semmes 
are  just  turning  in ;  perhaps  our  young  friend  is  waiting 
for  that  event,  and  if  so,  he  will  soon  be  with  us !" 

They  waited  as  patiently  and  hopefully  as  they  could — yet 
in  what  restleness  and  anguish ! 

And  while  they  waited,  the  object  of  their  hopes — the 
young  midshipman,  was  not  idle. 

He  had  been  seated  just  inside  the  door  of  his  state-room, 
waiting  for  Murlick  and  Semmes  to  turn  in. 

Knowing  that  Capt.  Willis  must  be  in  great  distress  on 
account  of  his  non-return,  his  own  distress  became  great. 


OR,   X   CRUISE   WITH   THE    PIRATE   SEMMES.  83 

The  two  worthies  at  last  retired  to  their  quarters,  and  the 
watcher  uttered  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"  Now  to  return  to  Capt.  Willis,"  he  thought.  "  And  I 
will  take  the  girl  with  me  !" 

He  had  in  his  room  a  dark  lantern  which  he  lighted  and 
concealed  under  his  coat.  Securing  his  pistols,  he  cautious- 
ly opened  his  door  and  took  a  survey  of  the  deserted  cabin. 

"  There's  risk,  of  course,"  he  thought     "  But  I'll  meet  it  P 

In  a  moment  he  was  at  Ethel's  door,  tapping  lightly  upon 
it,  and  keeping  a  sharp  lookout  around  him.* 

The  maiden  answered  his  summons. 

She  had  donned  her  cloak  and  hat,  and  had  a  small  bundle 
of  clothing  in  her  hand,  ready  for  flight. 

"  Come,"  he  whispered,  "  Courage  !" 

He  locked  her  door,  and  conducted  her,  half-carrying  her 
at  times,  to  the  hold. 

As  the  sound  of  their  footsteps  fell  on  the  hearing  of  Capt. 
Willis  and  Mr.  Yale,  the  latter  nearly  fainted. 

"  Do  you  hear,  Ned  ?"  he  whispered.  "  The  rustling  of 
a  dress !" 

The  midshipmen  opened  his  lantern  and  set  it  on  the  head 
of  a  barrel,  and  then,  holding  the  hand  of  the  trembling  girl, 
he  said : 

"  Here,  Capt.  Willis  !  I  have  brought  the  young  lady 
with  me!" 

The  lover  and  father  sprang  to  their  feet. 

Sobbing  with  joy,  Ethel  was  clasped  in  the  arms  of  her 
loved  ones,  and  a  wild  scene  of  re-union  followed. 

When  the  first  emotions  of  the  meeting  had  subsided,  and 
while  Ethel's  head  was  pillowed  on  the  breast  of  her  lover, 
ind  she  was  listeninng  to  his  whispered  words  of  love,  Mr. 
Vale  turned  his  attention  to  the  middy. 

"  I  thank  you  more  than  I  can  express  for  your  kindness 
to  me,"  he  said,  "  in  restoring  my  daughter.  May  you  be  re- 
warded a  thousand  fold !" 

"  I  have  already  had  my  reward,"  returned  the  youth,  "  in 
witnessing  your  happiness !" 

Mr.  Vale  turned  the  lantern  in  such  a  way  as  to  distinctly 


34  THE   TRACK   OF   FIRE; 

reveal  their  faces  to  each  other,  and  he  then  looked  long  and 
earnestly  at  the  middy,  with  marked  emotion. 

The  youth  himself  scrutinized  the  face  of  the  merchant, 
and  felt  his  heart  leap  towards  him  with  a  sudden  thrill  of 
affection,  such  as  he  had  never  known. 

•'  Capt.  Willis  has  told  me  of  your  history,"  at  length  said 
Mr.  Vale,  in  tremulous  tones.  "  You  have  believed  yourself 
the  son  of  Abner  Murlick,  but  he  was  not  married  twenty 
years  ago  I  My  heart  tells  me  you  are  my  son.  If  so,  the 
fact  can  easily  be  proven.  My  boy  had  a  natural  mark  on 
his  arm,  a  distinct  crescent.  Have  you  any  such  pecu- 
liarity ?" 

He  waited  in  breathless  suspense  for  a  reply. 

Ethel  and  her  lover  watched  the  scene  anxiously. 

As  fast  as  his  trembling  hands  would  permit,  the  youth 
pushed  up  his  sleeve — revealing  a  blood-red  crescent  on  hia 
arm. 

With  a  wild  sob  of  joy,  Mr.  Yale  caught  him  in  his  arms, 
pressing  a  father's  kisses  on  his  face,  and  receiving  the  boy's 
tender  and  loving  caresses. 

"  My  son,  my  son  I"  he  murmured,  straining  him  to  hia 
breast.     "  Found  at  last  1" 

His  joy  was  too  great  for  expression. 

v  When,  at  length,  he  released  his  son  from  his  embrace, 
Ethel  stood  ready  and  anxions  to  greet  her  brother  with  all 
a  sister's  fond  affection. 

Capt.  Willis  and  the  middy  then  shook  hands. 

"StrangQ/!  strange  1"  ejaculated  Mr.  Vale,  whose  face  was 
wet  with  tears  of  happiness.  *"  After  all  these  years, to  find 
him  ill  this  way  !  It  was  indeed  providential  that  we  were 
captured  by  Becomes  I  It  is  singular,*'  he  added,  "  that  we, 
four — comprising  our  entire  family — should  be  in  the  hands 
of  Murlick  I" 

"  We  must  not  be  in  his  hands  long,"  said  Ned.  "  We 
must  be  off  from  the  steamer,  within  an  hour.  We  must  get 
a  boat — " 

"  That  is  impossible,"  said  the  new-found  son.    "  The  boats 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITn    THE    PIRATE    8EMME3.  85 

tre  all  taken  in  from  the  davits  and  padlocked  every  night, 
to  prevent  them  from  being  too  handy  to  our  prisoners  !" 

"  What  can  we  do,  then,  my  son?"  asked  Mr.  Vale. 

"  We  must  get  up  some  kind  of  a  float,"  was  the  reply. 
u  I  have  been  thinking  of  it  this  evening,  and  have  devised 
a  plan.  There  are  a  large  number  of  india  rubber  floats 
aboard,  which  we  can  fasten  together  and  use  as  a  raft,  It 
will  be  the  best  thing  in  the  word  for  our  use,  since  it  is  im- 
possible to  procure  a  boat!  I  will  bring  them  down  here, 
and  we  can  prepare  a  raft  from  them." 

As  he  concluded,  lie  left  them,  but  lie  soon  returned  with 
a  large  armful  of  floats,  which  they  all  proceeded  to  inflate, 
and  which  presented  a  formidable  pile  when  fully  dis- 
tended. 

M  This  will  do  for  a  basis."  young  Vale  then  declared, 
"  We'll  launch  i  ,  and  build  upon  it  T 

Aided  by  Capt.  Willis,  lie  carried  the  floats  to  the  deck, 
arranged  them  into  the  shape  of  a  parallelogram,  with  the 
aid  of  several  spars,  oars  and  other  pieces  of  tlinber,  which 
came  opportunely  to  his  hands.  This  labor  was  performed 
in  a  few  minutes  under  cover  of  the  darkness. 

"  Over  with  her!"  whispered  Eugene,  with  the  sweat  of 
toil  and  anxiety  bathing  his  face.     a  We  must  hurry  !" 

By  the  exertion  of  their  united   strength,  the  two  men 
launched  their  bulky  float — or  rather  the  skeleton  and  found- 
ation of  the  raft  they  were  intent  on  having. 

u  Go  down  to  her,  if  you  please,  Capt.  Willis,"  whispered 
Eugene.     "  Quick!  an  offieor  of  the  watch  is  coming." 
I  Capt.  Willis  lowered  himself  by  a  rope  to  the  raft 

The  officer  referred  to  sauntered  near, 

"  What's  going  on  here  ?"  he  asked. 

"  Executing  orders,"  replied  Eugene.  "  You  need  not 
trouble  yourself  about  us,  sir  P* 

t  The  officer  was  Eugene's  inferior  in  rank,  but  he  resumed 
his  way  muttering,  and  entered  the  cabin. 

'•  Now  then,"  said  young  Vale  to  our  hero, "  I  will  pass  you 
a  huge  pile  of  these' floats,  a  plenty  of  ropes,  some  boards 
and  timbers,  which  have  been  used  by  the  painters  and 


86  THE   TRACE   OF    FIRE  ; 

others,  and  also  some  provisions.  The  water  is  still,  and  we 
can  blow  up  the  floats  and  strengthen  the  concern,  after  we 
get  safely  off  on  it !" 

They  worked  industriously  ten  minutes.  Capt.  Willis 
then  declared  the  raft  ready  for  its  occupants. 

"  All  right !"  responded  Eugene,  "I  will  go  for  my  father 
and  sister !" 

He  hurried  away,  and  soon  conducted  Mr.  Vale  and  Ethel 
to  the  deck,  and  lowered  them  in  safety  to  the  raft. 

"  Now  for  some  provisions !"  he  said.  **  Keep  quiet  a 
moment  and  I'll  be  with  you !" 

He  hurried  to  the  hold. 

He  had  scarcely  gone  when  a  dark  and  malignant  face 
looked  over  the  bulwarks,  and  a  hand  was  placed  on  the 
rope  that  held  the  raft  to  the  steamer. 

The  fugitives  looked  up  and  (by  the  outlines  of  his  head 
and  shoulders  against  the  sky)  recognized  Murlick ! 

The  suspicious  officer  of  the  watch  had  called  him. 

"  You'd  better  come  back  now !"  he  said,  jeeringly.  "  I 
came  out  just  in  time  to  stop  your  little  operations,  I  see. 
Ah !" 

His  eyes  flamed  with  infernal  joy  as  he  noticed  Mr.  Vale, 
who  had  until  then  escaped  his  view,  he  seeing  at  first  only 
Ethel  and  Capt.  Willis. 

"  Plenty  of  accommodations  on  board,"  he  added,  drawing 
the  rope  closer.  "  We  really  can't  spare  you,  my  dear  Ethel, 
and  shall  be  only  too  glad,  gentlemen,  to  have  you  return! 
and  tell  us  the  secret  of  your  marvellous  escape  and  how 
you  happen  to  be  here.  Come  right  up — or  shall  I  call  my 
men  to  assist  you  ?" 

Ethel  trembled  and  would  have  fainted  but  for  the  re- 
assuring pressure  of  her  lover's  arm. 

Mr.  Vale  was  overcome  with  horror. 

At  that  moment,  Eugene  made  his  appearance,  with  a  keg 
of  water  and  a  cask  of  sea-biscuit. 

Murlick  turned  and  saw  him. 

The  midshipman  relinquished  his  kegs. 

?  Treachery,  eh  ?"  exclaimed  Murlick. 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    THE    PIRATE    8EMME8.  87 

He  had  not  time  to  say  more,  for  Eugene  promptly  dealt 
him  a  sudden  and  heavy  blow  on  the  head  with  the  barrel  of 
his  navy  seven-shooter,  and  he  reeled  and  fell  senseless. 

The  midshipman  then  lowered  the  kegs  to  Capt.  Willis, 
And  descended  to  the  raft,  cutting  the  rope  and  pushing 
away  from  the  steamer. 

"  We  are  safe,  dear  father  !"  he  whispered  quietly,  taking 
the  hand  of  Mr.  Yale.  "  Have  no  fears  !  No  one  has  seen 
us  but  Murlick,  and  I  think  I've  settled  him  for  the  present!" 

Mr.  Vale  did  take  courage  at  these  words,  and  pressed 
the  hand  of  his  son  in  grateful  love. 

Capt.  Willis  and  Eugene  each  seized  an  oar  and  paddled 
the  raft  away  from  the  Alabama.  They  had  not  proceeded 
Tar  when  they  heard  sounds  of  confusion,  and  knew  that  the 
insensible  body  of  Murlick  had  been  discovered,  or  that  the 
villain  had  recovered  his  senses  and  raised  an  alarm. 

"  We  are  detected  !"  said  Eugene. 

"  And  just  as  we  were  getting  started,  too  !"  responded 
Mr.  Yale.  "  My  God !  they  are  getting  out  the  boats,  and 
will  scour  the  waters  all  around  the  steamer !  We  are  sure 
to  be  recaptured — we  are  lost !" 


CHAPTER  XV. 

AFLOAT  AND  ASHORE. 

The  apprehension  of  Mr.  Vale  was  not  realized. 

The  sounds  of  alarm  he  had  heard  suddenly  died  out. 

"  They  have  found  Murlick  and  are  taking  him  to  the 
»bin,"  said  Capt.  Willis.  "  Possibly  they  will  not  get  at  the 
lecret  of  his  unconsciousness  under  several  minutes." 

The  new-found  son  and  Ned  continued  to  paddle  the  raft, 
vliile  Mr.  Vale  and  Ethel,  recovering  their  calmness,  busied 
-hemgelves  in  blowing  up  an  additional  quantity  of  the  gut- 


88  THE    TKACK    OF    FIRE  ; 

ta  percha  floats.  In  a  hush  of  anxiety,  yet  thrilling  with 
hope,  they  all  toiled  industriously  fifteen  or  twenty  minutesi 
their  hearts  every  instant  growing  lighter  and  lighter,  and 
at  length  Capt.  Willis  said  : 

"  "Well,  we  are  out  of  sight  from  the  steamer,  and  a  pur- 
suit from  all  her  boats  would  not  be  certain  to  result  in  our 
capture.     Thank  heaven  for  this  mercy !" 

The  grateful  expression  was  echoed  in  the  soul  of  each 
listener. 

The     darkness    and    despair   in   which    the    father   and  j 
daughter  and  our  hero  had  been  only  made  their  transfer  to 
hopeful  circumstances  ail  the  more  thrilling. 

Eugene  and  Capt  Willis  finally  ceased  rowing,  the  former 
remarking : 

"  I  think  we  are  safe.     Lost   to  the  view  of  our   enemies,  ■ 
as  we  now  are,  it's  like  looking  for  a  grain  of  saw-dust   in  a 
mill-pond  to  find  us  !     Let  us  rejoice  1" 

The  hurried  greetings  which  had  taken  place  aboard  the 
Alabama  between  these  re-united  relatives  were  now  succeed- 
ed by  more  full  and  hearty  expressions  of  joy  and  affec- 
tion. 

"  Now  that  we  are  nearly  freed  from  our  terrible  anxieties, 
my  son,  "  said  Mr.  Tale,  taking  the  hand  of  the  youth,   "tell 
me  all  about  yourself,  how  you  came  to  be  so  -well-educated, 
how  Murlick  has  treated  you  during  all  these  years,  and  how  ' 
you  came  to  be  on  board  the  Alabama !" 

The  youth  seated  himself  nearer  his  father,  and  began  rela- 
ting his  history  as  already  recorded. 

Capt.  Willis  drew  his  betrothed  to   his   breast   and  whis- 
*  pered  in  her  ears  all  the  loving  things  his  great  and  absorb- 
ing affection  for  her,  as  well  as  the  occasion  prompted. 

In  this  blissful  communion,  floating  on  over  the  smooth 
seas,  and  under  the  starry  sky,  the  hours  wore  on. 

"  And  now  we  must  put  these  floats  under  the  boards," 
said  Eugene,  when  his  explanations  were  all  made,  and  he 
and  his  father  had  entered  into  a  perfect  understanding  with 
each  other.    "  It  will  form  a  securer  flooring  for  us." 

Capt  Willis  lent  his  assistance,  and  the  task  was  performed, 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH   THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  89 

the  raft  then  being  strengthened  and  floating  higher   out  of 
tho  -water. 

"  How  long  are  our  provisions  likely  to  last?"  asked  Mr. 
Vale,  when  they  were  again  comfortably  seated.  "  How 
much  did  you  bring,  Eugene?" 

"The  keg  of  water,  and  a  cask  of  sea  biscuit,"  was  the 
reply,  "  besides  pepper  and  salt  enough  to  last  us  a  week." 

There  was  certainly  nothing  to  fear  immediately  on  the  » 
score  of  starvation,  and  Mr.  Vale  dismissed  his  fears.  " 

"  I  having  had  more  advantages  than  the  rest  of  you  for 
knowing  our  whereabouts,"  said  Eugene,  "  will  be  the  nav- 
igator of  the  party.  We  are  well  up  towards  the  Mozam- 
bique Channel,  and  I  think  we  are  near  the  Koolin  Islands. 
"YYc  had  better  make  for  them  and  conceal  ourselves  till  tho 
hunt  for  us  is  past  1" 

This  proposition,  meeting  with  approval  from  the  entire 
party,  Eugene  shaped  their  course  in  the  direction  in  which 
he  supposed  the  group  of  islands  he  had  mentioned  to  lie. 

Hearing  and  seeing  nothing  of  any  pursuers,  they  became 
hopeful  of  a  complete  escape,  and  after  talking  a  long  time 
gave  themselves  up  to  fitful  slumbers. 

The  morning  broke  in  beauty  over  the  waters,  gilding  the 
cast  with  glowing  splendors,  and  as  the  sun  arose,  the  water 
reflecting  its  beams,  they  found  themselves  alone  on  the  face 
of  the  ocean. 

"  See !"  cried  Ethel,  starting  from  her  slumbers  in  her  lover's 
arms,  and  looking  around  her  in  delight.  "  The  Alabama  is 
not  in  sight  1" 

Mr.  Vale  lifted  his  head  from  his  son's  shoulder  and  echoed 
her  joy. 

■  Then  we  are  safe !"  said  Capt.  Willis.  "  They  may  look 
in  every  direction  for  us,  but  it  will  be  difficult  for  them  to 
find  us !" 

There  was  a  scene  of  rejoicing,  in  which  every  face  glow- 
ed with  joy.  and  every  one  breathed  freely. 

And  then  Mr.  Vale  again  regarded  his  son  intently. 

In  the  clear  morning  light,  he  marked  the  honest,  frank 


90  THE  TRACK   OF   FIRE  ; 

face  of  the  youth,  and  realized  that  he  was  indeed  noble  and 
good. 

6  This  moment  repays  me  for  all  my  years  of  sorrow,"  he 
said,  in  a  faltering  voice,  "  and  our  late  troubles  sink  into 
nothing  in  comparison  with  this  great  joy  of  finding  my  son! 
What  unexpected  happiness  to  know  tliat  he  has  not  been 
forced  into  vice,  as  1  had  feared — that  he  is  pure-minded, 
affectionate  and  imbued  with  lofty  principles — that  he  is  all  I 
could  desire  !  The  great  horror  of  our  long  separation  is 
lost  forever  in  the  bliss  of  our  re-union  !" 

There  were  tears  in  the  youth's  eyes  as  he  embraced  his 
father,  and  Ethel  and  her  lover  shared  their  emotion. 

•  And  now,"  said  Capt.  "Willis,  when  they  were  all  restored 
to  calmness,  "  let  us  have  breakfast !" 

Eugene  assisted  him  to  open  the  kegs  and  passed  around 
his  hands  filled  with  sea-biscuit. 

"  This  is  certainly  a  comfortable  meal,"  remarked  Captain 
Willis,  "  and  I  enjoy  it  more  than  any  I  have  eaten  in  the  last 
two  weeks,  not  excepting  those  on  the  bark  after  we  took  it ! 
This  is  a  nice  way  of  life,  too — for  a  change,"  he  added, 
pleasantly,  "but  I  hardly  think  I'd  like  it  the  year  'round!" 

After  the  general  laugh  that  followed,  Ethel  said : 

"  Why,  Eugene,  what  is  this  blanket  rolled  around  these 
oars  for  on  the  end  of  the  raft?     Was  it  intended  to  use ?" 

"  Oh  !"  exclaimed  young  Yale.  "  I  had  entirely  forgotten 
that  blanket !  Perhaps,  however,  none  of  us  suffered  from 
the  want  of  it  the  last  night.  This  is  the  use  for  which  I 
intended  it!" 

As  he  spoke,  he  unrolled  it  and  handed  a  couple  of  the  oars 
to  Capt.  Willis,  and  took  the  others  to  the  further  end  of  the 
raft  where  he  fixed  them  upright. 

Capt.  Willis  caught  his  idea  and  erected  the  others  in  a 
similar  manner. 

The  two  young  men  then  stretched  the  blanket  and  fast- 
ened it  to  the  top  of  the  oars,  forming  a  convenient  and  com- 
fortable awning. 

"  There !"  snid  Eugene,  as  he  again  seated  himself.     "  That 


OR,   A    CRUISE   WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMITES.  91 

from  being  sun-struck.  Second,  it  will  keep  our  keg  of  wa- 
ter  from  boiling.  Third,  it  will  do  for  a  sail  and  help  us 
along  in  the  way  we  desire,  the  wind  being  all  right !" 

His  forethought  was  applauded,  and  he  and  Capt.  Willis 
picked  up  their  oars  and  resumed  rowing. 

"  How  bright  the  water  is !"  said  Ethel,  looking  out  upon 
the  broad  expanse  around  them.  "  Oh,  Ned,  what  are  those 
little  white  caps  to  the  north  of  us  ?" 

"  That  is  where  a  school  of  fish  are  coming  up  to  breath  !" 
replied  her  lover. 

"  I  should  think  they'd  be  astonished  by  our  unwieldy  and 
singular  conveyance,"  laughed  Ethel.  "Perhaps,  though, 
they  think  it's  Neptune's  car!  If  we  had  any  way  to  cook 
them,"  she  added,  "  I  would  bend  a  pin  and  catch  a  few  !" 

Her  remark  was  met  with  laughter. 

Mr.  Vale  looked  at  his  daughter  with  all  a  father's  pride,  as- 
leaning  against  her  lover,  who  was  steadily  pulling  at  his 
oar  and  yet  regardiag  her  admiringly,  she  flung  off  all  care 
and  endeavored  to  cheer  her  friends.  Her  eyes  were  lumin- 
ous with  a  clear  and  steady  light,  her  hair  was  flung  care- 
lessly back  from  her  brow,  and  her  usually  pale  face  was 
flushed  with  joy  and  happiness.  A  great  change  for  the 
better  had  been  wrought  in  her  appearance. 

"  It  won't  do  any  good  for  us  to  mope  and  be  half-dead 
with  fear,"  she  said.  ''  To  have  good  fortune,  we  must  de- 
serve it !  We  must  be  hopeful  and  look  on  the  bright  side. 
Oh  !"    She  added,  "  just  see  those  beautiful  gulls  V\ 

Her  cheerfulness  was  infectious. 

The  brother  and  sister  speedily  became  acquainted  with 
each  other,  on  terms  of  unusual  fraternal  affection. 

Eugene  and  Capt.  Willis  continued  paddling  to  the  North, 
the  former  thinking  it  advisable  to  reach  the  Koolin  islands, 
if  they  were  really  near  tham. 

Ethel  exerted  herself  to  entertain  her  friends,  singing  to 
them  in  a  low  sweet  voice  pretty  songs  and  ballads,  and  en- 
tertaining them  with  funny  anecdotes  and  such  scraps  of 
oddities  as  happened  to  recur  to  her  memory. 


92  THE    TRACK  OF  FIRE  ; 

When  tho  sun  was  in  the  mid-heavens,  Capt.  "Willis  dealt 
out  their  dinner  of  water  and  sea-biscuits,  and  said  : 

"  With  a  slight  exercise  of  your  imaginations,  this  water 
will  pass  for  tea !" 

"  Ob,"  added  the  girl,  with  a  laugh,  as  she  noticed  its 
brackish  appearance,  "  add  some  of  brother's  salt  and  pep- 
per, and  it  will  pass  for  soup  !" 

They  went  on  all  day  without  meeting  any  ships,  although 
they  kept  a  look-out  for  them,  and  as  the  afternoon  deepen- 
ed, the  sun  half  way  down  to  the  Western  horizon,  Eugene 
said,  in  a  disappointed  tone  : 

"  I  must  have  been  mistaken.  We  must  have  been  farther 
from  the  islands  than  I  thought !  It  seems  that  we  are  like- 
ly to  spend  another  night  on  the  waters !" 

"  It  might  be  in  worse  company,"  returned  Ethel,  archly. 

Capt.  Willis  was  looking  earnestly  to  the  North,  and  now 
exclaimed : 

"  See  that  brownish  tint  on  the  horizon,  Eugene !  It  is 
the  islands !" 

They  all  looked  and  soon  distinguished  the  line  referred 
to. 

The  men  redoubled  their  exertions,  and,  to  their  great  de- 
light, were  soon  in  full  view  of  the  islands — a  small,  low 
group  of  limited  extent  and  uninhabited. 

"  We  stopped  here  once  for  water,"  said  Eugene,  as  he 
looked  shorewards.  "  They  would  never  think  of  looking 
for  us  here !     We  have  indeed  cause  for  rejoicing  !" 

They  soon  reached  the  land  and  disembarked.  The  raft 
was  carried  ashore,  and  they  then  looked  around  them. 

They  found  themselves  on  the  largest  island  of  the  group, 
which  comprised  ten  or  a  dozen — and  in  the  midst  of  wild 
and  delightful  scenery.  The  island  was  nearly  a  square  mile 
in  extent,  and  covered  with  bamboo  and  palm  trees,  some 
of  them  forty  feet  in  height.  There  were  rocks  and  hills 
and  valleys,  testifying  to  the  volcanic  origin  of  the  group, 
and  little  bays  and  harbors  along  the  shores. 

"  The  first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  get  a  house !"  remarked 
Capt,  Willis,  when  they  had  fully  exercised  their  limbs  and 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH    THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  93 

exulted  sufficiently  in  their  good  fortune.  "  Ethel,  if  you 
and  Mr.  Yale  will  sit  down  on  that  rock,  Eugene  and  I  will 
soon  show  you  a  palatial  residence  !" 

"Wait  a  moment.  Ned,"  said  the  merchant,  seating  him- 
self with  his  daughter.  "  You  know  you  are  my  son  as  well 
as  Eugene— so  call  me  father !  I  don't  like  to  hear  you  say 
Mr.  Yale  !"  ~ 

A  flush  of  feeling  appeared  on  Ned's  face,  and  Ethel  blush- 
ed, as  her  lover  warmly  expressed  his  thanks  for  the  kind 
affection  that  had  prompted  Mr.  Yale's  remark. 

The  young  men  went  to  work,  removing  their  coats,  and 
in  the  course  of  an  hour  had  produced  a  neat  bamboo 
structure,  with  thatched  roof,  and  as  portable  as  a  tent. 

A  bamboo  screen  was  then  made  to  divide  the  hut  into 
two  apartments,  thus  giving  Ethel  a  room  to  herself. 

When  their  work  had  been  sufficiently  admired,  Ned  said 
smilingly : 

"  Now,  darling,  if  you'll  bend  a  pin,  perhaps  we  can  catch 
one  of  th'ose  fish  you  wanted.  I  see  the  tide  is  out,"  he 
added.     "  We'll  be  very  likely  to  find  oysters  here  I" 

On  examination,  he  and  Eugene  discovered  that  there  were 
a  plenty  of  the  bivalves  within  easy  reach,  and  then  brought 
a  large  quantity  of  them  ashore. 

While  they  were  thus  engaged,  Ethel  had  gone  on  a  scout- 
ino-  expedition  and  soon  returned  with  some  fruit  shaped 
much  like  a  cocoa-nut,  which  she  declared  had  grown  on  a 
tree  over  forty  feet  high. 

"  Oh,  that  is  bread-fruit!"  said  Capt.  Willis.  "  I'll  cut  it 
in  slices  and  show  you  how  to  bake  it  for  supper  !" 

"  And  I  found  this  !"  said  the  maiden,  holding  up  an  enor- 
mous oyster  shell.  "  Did  you  ever  see  such  a  monster  ?"  It 
will  hold  as  much  as  an  ordinary  tea-kettle  !" 

"  It  will  do  for  that  purpose  !"  said  Eugene.  "  Let  us  go 
inland  a  little  way  and  build  a  fire  where  it  won't  attract  no- 
tice, should  our  pursuers  come  in  this  direction !" 

They  found  a  secluded  valley  in  the  interior,  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  which  bubbled  up  a  clear  spring  of  water,  and  here 


94  THE    TRACK   OP    FIRE  | 

they  kindled   a  fire   and   cooked   their  oysters  in  the  huge 
shell,  and  baked  their  bread-fruit  in  the  ashes. 

"  This  is  a  feast  for  an  epicure !"  said  Ethel  surveying  the 
dinner  she  had  cooked  with  the  aid  of  the  two  young  men." 
Stewed  oysters  j  oysters  roasted  in  the  shell,  and  oysters 
raw  ;  bread  '  raised'  and  kneaded  by  old  dame  Nature  her- 
self;  plenty  of  cool  and  fresh  water  and  shells  to  drink  it 
from,  and  hearts  to  enjoy  it  ?  Come,  father,"  she  added,  plac- 
ing a  stone  at  one  side  of  the  fire."  "  I  want  your  opinion  on 
the  capacity  of  our  under-cooks." 

Mr.  Yale  took  his  seat  by  the  fire  and  did  full  justice  to 
the  dainty  viands,  declaring  them  delicious,  and  congratula- 
ting the  laughing  young  men  on  their  proficiency  in  the  cul- 
inary art. 

After  supper  the  party  strolled  along  the  shore,  gazing 
with  breathless  admiration  at  the  glories  of  the  setting  sun 
and  exploring  fully  the  island. 

Their  present  situation  was  so  infinitely  preferable  to  their 
close  and  terrible  captivity  on  board  thepirate-setamer,  that 
they  rejoiced  in  their  freedom  and  happiness,  not  even  repin- 
ing for  home. 

In  the  soft  moonlight,  late  in  the  evening,  when  sea  and 
land  were  flooded  in  a  holy  beauty,  the  little  party  sat  hand 
in  hand  on  the  rocks,  listening  to  the  beating  of  the  waves 
iipdti  the  shore  in  low  music,  and  talking  earnestly  and 
lovingly  to  each  other. 

At  length  they  broke  the  chain  of  fascination  that  held 
them  down  by  the  shore,  breathing  in  the  spice-laden  air, 
and  retired  to  the  hut,  where  they  soon  fell  asleep. 

The  next  day  and  the  next  were  repetitions  of  the  first  af- 
ternoon, passing  like  a  delicious  dream.  They  gathered 
wild  flowers  of  such  beautiful  forms  and  rareadors  as  were 
bewildering  to  people  brought  up  among  the  sturdier  plants 
of  a  temperate  clime,  and  revelled  in  every  form  of  floral 
beauty. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  third  day  they  were  roaming  in- 
land, laden  with  fruits  and  flowers,  and  at  length  sat  down 
to  rest. 


OR,    A    CRUISE   WITH   THE    PIRAT   SEMME3.  95 

r 

"  It  seems  too  bright  to  last !"  sighed  Ethel,  on  whose  sweet 
face  was  the  clear  glow  of  happiness  and  health.  I  shall 
hate  to  leave  this  spot !  It  is  here  where  we  learned  to  love 
you  so  dearly,  brother  ;  here  where  father  has  renewed  his 
youth  and  learned  to  laugh  as  gleefully  as  any  of  us  ;  and 
here  where  we  have  tasted  the  sweets  of  tropical  life  with- 
out finding  any  thorns  !  I  have  felt  so  relieved  at  being  away 
from  our  enemies  that  until  now  I  have  not  given  a  thought 
to  the  future.  When  are  we  going  to  leave  this  sunny  spot, 
dear  Ned?" 

"  I  have  waited  until  all  pursuit  should  be  over,"  returned 
her  lover,  "  before  making  any  proposition  on  the  subject. 
We  had  better  wait  here  a  week  longer,  and  then  form  our 
plans.     Don't  you  think  so,  father?" 

Mr.  Vale  assented,  and  Eugene  approved  of  the  idea,  and 
they  soon  strolled  back  to  the  shore,  seating  themselves  on 
their  favorite  rock. 

Suddenly  Ethel  turned  deadly  pale  and  pointed  seaward. 

Looking  in  the  direction  indicated,  the  party  beheld  a 
steamer  approaching. 

Full  of  alarm  and  excitement,  they  hastened  into  the 
densest  thicket  on  the  island. 

The  steamer  continued  to  advance  rapidly,  and  was  soon 
near  enough  for  them  to  recognize  her. 

She  was  the  Alabama. 

Continuing  to  watch  her,  they  finally  beheld  Murlick  on 
her  deck,  glass  in  hand. 

They  watched  her  and  him  in  speechless  anxiety  until  the 
steamer  anchored  near  the  island,  and  then,  with  a  suitable 
sense  of  their  peril,  they  asked  one  another  how  they  should 
meet  it. 


96  THE   TRACK    OF    FIRB  | 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

FURTHER   DEPREDATIONS   OF   THE   "  ALABAMA." 

As  suspected  by  the  fugitives,  Murlick  had  been  found  in- 
sensible on  the  deck  of  the  Alabama  soon  after  their  de- 
parture, and  a  great  tumult  had  followed. 

What  was  the  secret  in  the  case  ? 
The  subordinate  officer  before  mentioned,  stated  that  he  had 
seen  Midshipman  Murlick  and  some  of  the  men  launching  a 
raft,  or  something  of  the  kind,  and  that  he  had  notified  Lieut. 
Murlick  of  the  irregularity  and  singularity  of  his  son's  con- 
duct, whereupon  the  lieutenant  had  rushed  upon  deck,  with 
the  result  they  all  saw  before  them. 

Capt.  Semmes  was  speedly  summoned  to  the  scene,  and 
instituted  a  close  inquiry  into  the  whole  matter. 

He  found  that  the  midshipman  and  Miss  Yale  were  b  oth 
missing,  and  promptly  experienced  a  conviction  that  they  had 
fled  on  a  raft. 

He  ordered  out  the  boats,  and  had  the  surrounding  waters 
thoroughly  explored,  but  obtained  no  trace  of  the  fugitives. 

In  the  meantime,  he  and  several  of  his  officers,  including 
the  surgeon  of  the  vessel,  gave  the  injured  man  every  atten- 
tion. 

He  was  quite  seriously  injured,  and  no  one  wished  to  be- 
lieve that  the  midshipman  had  made  such  an  assault  upon 
his  superior  officer  and  father. 

Murlick  finally  gave  signs  of  returning  consciousness,  and 
a  continuation  of  the  good  offices  of  his  friends  was  eventu- 
ally rewarded  by  the  opening  of  his  eyes. 

The  baffled  villain  instantly  commenced  swearing  and 
cursing  in  a  manner  fearful  to  witness. 

He  painted  young  Yale  as  a  fiend  incarnate  to  whose  de- 
linquenceis  and  villainies  he  had  long  extended  the  charity 
of  silence,  hoping  for  bis  reform. 


on.  a  rr^.zr,  with  the  pikate  semmes.  9? 

He  mentioned  nono  of  the  real  facts  in  the  case,  beyond 
the  flight  of  the  girl,  the  nature  of  his  injury,  etc.,  continuing 
to  speak  of  Eugene  as  his  son,  and  saying  nothing  of  the 
presence  of  Mr.  Vale  and  Capt.  "Willis. 

Having  raved  an  hour  or  two  in  public,  and  made  another 
search  around  the  steamer,  Murlick  retired  to  his  state-room 
to  indulge  in  secret  the  rage  and  disappointment  which  per- 
vaded his  whole  being. 

The  following  morning  he  proposed  to  Capt.  Semmes  to 
scour  the  neighborhood  thoroughly,  which  was  done. 

They  saw  nothing  of  the  fugitives,  of  course,  but  they  did 
encounter  an  American  ship,  of  which  they  took  possession, 
in  their  usual  manner. 

Again,  as  night  came,  the  ocean  was  lighted  up  by  the 
flames  of  the  ship-burners,  but  the  decoy  did  not  bring  any 
additional  victims. 

"  We  may  as  well  burn  our  prizes  on  the  spot  where  we 
find  them,"  observed  Capt.  Semmes  to  a  group  of  llis  officers, 
as  the  charred  hull  disappeared  beneath  the  waves.  "Our 
dodge  of  saving  them  until  night,  to  attract  other  vessels, 
don't  pay  us  for  our  trouble.  The  Yankees  are  getting  too 
wise  to  come  near  our  burning  beacons  !" 

The  Alabama  lay  quiet  the  remainder  of  the  night,  to  save 
her  coal,  but  steamed  up  the  following  morning,  and  was 
not  long  in  encountering  and  capturring  an  American  bark, 
which  was  burnt  on  the  spot,  after  the  removal  of  her  crew 
and  a  few  desired  portions  of  her  cargo. 

"  This  is  the  way  to  do  it,"  was  Murlick's  bitter  comment 
on  tho  destruction  of  the  vessel,  as  he  watched  the  ravages 
of  the  flames.  "  A  few  such  sights  as  this  would  put 
me  into  good  humor.  If  the  infernal  Yankees  ever  do  cap- 
ture us,  let  them  follow  us  by  the  track  of  firo  which  we 
leave  behind  us  !" 

As  the  Alabama  stood  away  from  the  burning  bark  a 
thought  struck  Murlick,  which  he  hastened  to  reveal  to  Capt. 
Semmes. 

"  As  my  son  had  just  been  figuring  up  the  ship's  reckon- 
ing, and  know  where  we  were,"  he  said,  "  it  is  quite  probable 


98  THE    TRACK   OF   TIRE  ; 

that  lie  has  shaped  his  course,  by  the  aid  of  the  stars  and  sun, 
to  the  Koolin  inlands." 

"  I  have  thought  of  that  already,"  replied  Semmes,  "  but 
did  not  care  to  be  over-officious  in  the  pursuit  of  the  fugi- 
tive, you  being  his  father/' 

"  Never  mind  the  relatonship  between  us,"  rejoined  Mur 
lick,  with  an  emphasis  that  was  anything  but  fatherly.  "  As 
a  parent  I  could  forgive  him,  but  as  an  officer  I  must  insist 
on  his  punishment.  If  he  is  not  brought  to  an  account  for 
this  high-handed  outrage,  then  farewell  to  all  discipline  and 
order !" 

Capt.  Semmes  was  entirely  of  this  opinion,  but  said  that 
he  should  leave  the  wThole  matter  of  the  Court-Martial  and 
punishment  to  the  injured  parent's  direction  and  discretion, 
it  being  such  an  unusual  case. 

The  dark  eyes  of  Murlick  gleamed  savagely  at  this  assur- 
ance, and  his  fingers  worked  convulsively.  After  expres- 
sing his  thanks  for  the  consideration  shown  him,  he  con- 
tinued. 

"  I  do  not  intend  that  the  natural  feeling  of  a  father  shall 
stand  between  the  offender  and  his  just  dues.  The  first 
point  is  to  catch  him,  of  course,  and  this  is  the  point  I  am 
coming  to.  You  were  intending  to  call  at  the  Koolin  islands 
in  a  few  days,  to  see  if  any  of  the  new  steamers  are  await- 
ing us  there,  and  I  accordingly  propose  that  we  proceed 
thither  at  once.  One  of  the  expected  vessels  may  have  ar- 
rived a  little  in  advance  of  its  time,  and  it  is  quite  possible 
that  we  should  find  her  ahead  of  us,  even  if  we  start  now. 
Bo  that  as  it  may,  the  distance  is  not  far,  and  the  harm  and 
inconvenience  will  not  kill  us,  however  the  case  stands !" 

This  was  an  elaborate  speech  for  Murlick  to  make,  and 
Capt.  Semmes  was  not  a  little  surprised  at  the  evident  de- 
sire of  his  subordinate  to  gain  his  approbation  to  the  pro- 
posed measure.  Wondering  at  the  vindictiveness  of  his 
lieutenant,  he  replied : 

"  You  can  do  just  as  you  please,  Murlick.  If  you  really 
think  that  your  son  has  taken  refuge  at  the  islands,  you  are 
nuite  at  lihrrtv  to  pnrsup  him  there,  whpther  the    reinforce- 


OR,    A    CRUISE    WITH    THE    PIRATE    6EMMES.  99 

ments  have  arrived  or  not.     Take  your  own  course !" 

Again  a  hot  flash  of  gratified  malice  passed  over  Murlick's. 
face,  and  his  voice  was  husky  with  suppressed  malignancy, 
as  he  thanked  the  captain,  and  proceeded  to  give  the  neces 
sary  orders  for  changing  the  course  of  the  steamer  towards 
the  rendezvous  he  had  mentioned. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

MUR  LICK  PROMOTED    AND    OTHERWISE    FAVORED. 

The  Alabama  had  scarcely  dropped  anchor  at  the  Koolin 
islands,  as  already  narrated,  when  a  second  steamer  was  seen 
approaching  them  from  the  southwest,  and  the  eyes  of  Cap! 
Scmmes  and  h'.s  lieutenant  were  attracted  to  the  new-comer. 
The  faces  of  the  two  men  instantly  lighted  up  with  joy. 

"  We're  just  in  time,  it  seems,"  said  Murlick,  "  as  I  hoped 
and  expected.  There's  one  of  our  new  war  steamers,  and 
she  comes  like  the  wind  !" 

Capt.  Semmes  regarded  the  approaching  vessel  long  and 
steadily  through  his  best  glass,,  and  appeared  to  be  a  little 
puzzled  by  it. 

"  She's  not  eqactly  what  I  expected,"  he  muttered,  "  and 
I  oan  tell  you  before  hand  that  she  is  not  one  of  those  ves- 
sels we  have  negociated  for  in  England.  Perhaps  she  is  a 
fed,  who  has  come  this  way  by  chance !" 

For  a  moment  the  observors  were  filled  with  doubts  of 
the  new-comers  character,  but  the  signt  of  a  Confederate 
flag,  which  was  soon  rnn  up  by  her,  dismissed  these  emo- 
tions, and  caused  the  officers  and  crew  the  most  unbounded 

joy- 

"There's  our  long-promised  re-enforcement,"  exclaimed 
Murlick,  as  he  turned  his  glasses  towards  the  shore,  "  and 
now,  if  I  could  see  any  sign  of  the  fugitives,  my  joy  would 
be  complete !" 


100  THE   TRACK   OT    FIRE  ; 

The  glass  suddenly  fell  from  his  hands. 

He  had  seen  the  raft  of  the  fugitives,  lying  on  the 
shore ! 

He  fairly  raved  in  his  delight. 

"  They  are  there  a3  sure  as  fate !"  he  exclaimed,  picking 
up  his  glass  and  handing  it  to  Semmes.  "  See !  There  is 
their  raft !  I  will  order  some  men  ashore  instantly,  and  so 
prevent  any  possibility  of  their  escape !" 

Semmes  wondered  at  the  wild  and  vindictive  joy  of  his 
lieutenant,  and  at  the  singular  lack  of  paternal  affection  to- 
wards the  young  midshipman. 

While  he  was  examining  the  shore  with  the  glass,  Murlick 
ordered  out  a  boat  and  sent  a  party  of  men  ashore  to  cecure 
it. 

It  wa3  brought  off  and  examined  with  many  comments 
from  both  officers  and  crew. 

"  It  will  now  be  impossible  for  them  to  leave  the  island !" 
said  Murlick.  "  They  are  walled  in  and  waiting  for  us  ! 
We've  fairly  tracked  'em  here,  and  now  all  that  remains  to 
do  is  to  go  ashore  and  take  'em  !'' 

Semmes  did  not  reply,  and  Murlick  continued  : 

"  As  soon  as  we've  greeted  the  new-comers,  we'll  scour 
the  islands,  and  I'll  risk  but  what  we'll  find  'em !" 

Still  wondering  at  the  singular  ferocity  of  the  lieutenant, 
Capt.  Semmes  responded: 

"  Perhaps  they've  gone  already !" 

"  Gone  ?"  howled  Murlick,  looking  as  if  the  verification  of 
the  suggestion  would  kill  him. 

"  Yes.  The  raft  brought  them  here,  but  they  have  prob- 
ably been  taken  off  by  some  boat  or  vessel,  and  left  it  behind 
them !" 

A  look  of  appalling  blackness  appeared  on  Murlick's  face. 
He  could  not  put  off  his  proposed  hunt  another  moment. 
Muttering  to  himself,  he  hastened  to  dispatch  a  boat's  crew 
to  the  shore,  with  orders  to  search  every  nook  on  the  island. 
He  would  have  accompanied  the  men  himself,  if  the  strange 
steamer  had  not  been  so  near.  In  a  few  moments  more,  it 
was  anchored  alongside  £he  Alabama. 


OS   A    CRUISK   WITH   THE    PIRATE   SEMMES.  101 

She  proved  to  bo  The  Scourge  of  the  Ocean,  a  Confederate 
vessel  that  had  run  the  blockade  at  Mobile,  with  orders  to 
look  for  Semmes,  at  this  retreat,  provided  he  was  not  to  bo 
found  at  the  Cape.  Her  commander  came  on  board  the 
Alabama,  and  greeted  its  captain. 

"  I  bring  a  captain's  commission  to  Lieut.  Murliok,"  said 
the  new-comer,  bowing  to  the  villain,  and  handing  him  a 
package  of  papers.  "  He  is  to  take  command  of  The 
Scourge  of  the  Ocean,  under  those  documents  I" 

A  flush  of  gratified  ambition  appeared  on  Murlick's  dark 
visage  as  he  took  the  papers  offered  him. 

Semmes  congratulated  him  on  his  promotion,  assuring 
him  that  it  was  deserved,  and  that  he  felt  great  pleasure  in 
seeing  his  merits  recognized  by  the  government. 

At  the  head  of  his  fellow-officers,  the  new  commander  of 
The  Scourge  went  on  board  of  her,  and  entered  into  formal 
possession. 

With  an  exultant  feeling  he  examined  her  capacity,  and 
discovered  that  she  was  a  large  but  ordinary  steamer, 
which  had  formerly  plied  between  Mobile  and  New  York. 

In  his  joy  and  excitement,  Murlick  forgot  his  prisoners. 

He  ordered  wine,  of  which  there  was  a  small  supply  on 
board,  and  entertained  his  guests  with  usual  sociability,  of- 
fering toasts  to  the  confederate  government,  Capt.  Semmes, 
and  everybody  who  had  more  or  less  assisted  his  promo- 
tion. 

His  late  commander  brought  him  back  to  business,  say- 
ing :— 

"  Well,  Capt.  Murlick,  again  congratulating  you  on  your 
deserved  promotion,  I  beg  you  to  relieve  me  of  my  prison- 
ers, as  you  are  not  clogged  up  with  a  dozen  cargoes  !" 

With  a  sudden  flash  in  his  eyes,  Murlick  testified  his 
willingness  to  take  them. 

"  Among  these  prisoners,"  pursued  Semmes,  "  you  can  in- 
clude those  you  are  about  to  take  on  this  isfand — if  you 
can  find  them!  As  to  the  court  martial  of  midshipmen, 
Murlick,  and  all  that,  you  have  full  authority  to  act  in  the 


102  THE   TRACK   Of   FIRE  J 

premises,  and  will  oblige  me  by  relieving  me  of  the  whole 
matter  I" 

How  the  eyes  of  the  listener  gleamed  1 

Bowing  assent,  he  led  the  way  to  the  deck,  where  his 
guests  soon  took  their  leave  of  him. 

He  then  called  up  his  subordinate  officers  and  crew,  and 
made  a  speech  to  them,  ending  it  with  a  declaration  of  the 
mutual  service  required  at  their  hands. 

He  then  ordered  out  a  couple  of  boats,  selected  out  a 
score  of  men  to  man  them,  and  started  for  the  shore  of  the 
island. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  CAPTOR  AND  HIS  PREY. 


The  fugitives  had  watched  all  these  proceedings,  as  far  as 
they  could  see  them,  with  feelings  akin  to  despair. 

They  knew  that  the  island  did  not  afford  any  spot  which, 
in  case  of  a  general  search,  could  long  conceal  them. 

On  the  other  hand,  they  knew  that  they  could  not  leave 
it,  in  the  face  of  all  their  enemies,  until  after  night  fall. 

Horrible  situation ! 

They  were  soon  driven  out  of  the  thicket  in  which  they 
had  taken  refuge,  on  discovering  the  approach  of  the 
steamer,  the  boat's  crew,  Murlick  had  sent  ashore,  having 
gone  in  the  very  direction  of  this  spot, 

Hunted  from  thieket  to  thicket,  and  driven  to  and  fro,  the 
three  men  managed  for  a  time  to  avoid  the  observation  of 
their  enemies. 

They  kept  Ethel  with  them,  now  assisting  her  steps,  and 
now  carrying*her  in  their  arms. 

Narrower  and  narrower  became  the  limits  in  which  they 
moved,  a  line  of  Confederates  stretching  across  the  whole 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH   THE   PIRATE   SEMMES.  103 

island,  and  gradually  sweeping  the  fugitives  towards  the 
sea. 

It  soon  became  evident  to  them  that  they  could  not  much 
longer  escape  observation,  yet  how  they  struggled  to  do  so  I 

The  thickets  from  which  they  were  dislodged,  one  after 
another,  grew  thinner  and  less  frequent,  and  at  length,  just 
as  Murlick  landed  at  the  head  of  his  men,  the  weary  and  de- 
spairing victims  were  seen  by  their  hunters. 

"What  shouts  of  infernal  rejoicings  arose  at  the  sight ! 

How  quickly  Murlick  and  his  men  joined  in  the   hue  and 


cry 


There  is  no  necessity  of  lingering  upon  the  scene. 

Panting — helpless — overpowered  by  numbers — the  three 
men  did  all  that  men  could  do,  but  they  were  secured  and 
bound. 

Murlick  fairly  raved  in  his  delight,  addressing  himself  to 
Ethel,  then  to  the  father  and  son,  and  finally  to  Capt.  Willis, 
mocking  them  all  with  the  result  of  their  flight. 

In  half  an  honr  the  men  were  stowed  away  in  irons  the  hold 
of  The  Scourge,  and  Ethel  was  a  close  prisoner  in  one  of  the 
state-rooms  of  the  steamer.  Their  sufferings  can  be  im- 
agined. 

The  Confederates  remained  at  the  islands  over  night,  ca- 
rousing and  rejoicing. 

Early  in  the  morning,  a  ship  which  had  come  by  this  out 
of-the  way  route  to  avoid  the  pirates  was  seized,  and  all  the 
prisoners  were  put  aboard  of  her  and  told  that  they  could 
make  their  way  to  any  port  they  pleased.  The  Vales  and 
Capt.  Willis  were  not  included  among  these  prisoners,  but 
were  retained  on  board  17ie  Scourge. 

Immediately  after  this  event,  Capt.  Semmes  held  an  inter- 
view with  his  late  lieutenant. 

It  was  agreed  that  both  vessels  should  start  immediately 
for  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  the  Alabama  making  a  circuit  towards 
Java  Head,  and  Tlie  Scourge  beating  up  the  mail  route  thor- 
oughly, and  both  finally  coming  together  again  at  Madras. 

With  this  understanding,  adieus  were  lettered  by  the  offi- 
cers of  the  two  steamers,  and  each  stood  away  on  its  course. 


104  THE   TRACK  OF  FIRE  J 

The  succeeding  afternoon  Capt.  Murlick  captured  an 
American  vessel,  the  ship  Senator,  of  New  York,  Capt. 
Joyce. 

The  captain,  always  a  nervous  and  excitable  man,  had 
been  a  prey  to  the  most  harassing  fears  of  the  Confederate 
•' pirates,  ever  since  leaving  Calcutta,  and  at  the  discovery 
that  he  was  really  assai'ed  by  one  of  these  long  dreaded 
enemies,  his  mind  had  enlirely  lost  its  balance. 
;  His  mate,  an  intelligent  young  man,  quietly  surrendered 
the  ship  to  Murlick,  there  being  no  help  for  it,  and  the  crew 
was  placed  in  the  hold  of  The  Scourge. 

Seeing  that  the  maniac  captain  was  unusually  quiet,  Mur- 
lick conceived  the  idea  that  he  was  perfectly  harmless,  and 
allowed  him  to  wander  about  the  steamer  as  he  pleased. 

As  night  approached,  Murlick  appeared  in  unusually  good 
spirits,  as  was  natural,  judging  his  situation  from  his  own 
point  of  view. 

His  first  prize  had  proved  exceedingly  valuable. 

Immense  piles  of  rich  silks  and  shawls,  etc.,  including 
every  variety  of  East-Indian  goods,  had  been  taken  out  of 
her,  and  were  filling  his  cabin  and  deck  to  overflowing. 

And,  better  than  these  material  gains,  he  had  in  his  custo- 
dy those  whom  ho  most  hated,  and  her  for  whom  he  had 
conceived  such  a  fierce  and  maddening  passion. 

"  This  night  shall  see  all  my  annoyances  swept  from  my 
path,"  he  said  to  himself,  as  he  finished  plundering  the  ship. 
"Ha!  ha!  my  life-long  revenge  upon  the  hated  family  of 
Yale  will  soon  be  completed!" 

He  drank  deeply  and  blustered  about,  looking  and  acting 
like  a  fiend. 

The  few  elements  of  decency  and  humanity  that  had  been 
retained  in  his  nature  by  his  awe  of  Capt.  Semmes,  had  all 
vanished  since  the  moment  of  their  separation,  and  he  stood 
unmasked  in  all  his  moral  deformity — as  heartless  and  mer* 
ciless  as  any  common  pirate  that  ever  scoured  the  ocean. 

As  twilight  deepened  over  the  scene,  he  called  into  the 
cabin  a  couple  creatures  of  his  will,  and  told  them  to  bind 
Capt.  Willis  hand  and  foot  and  put  him  into  a  bag,  and  then 


OR,   X    CECI8E   WITH   THE   PIRATE    SEMMES.  105 

convey  him  to  a  boat  alongside,  taking  care  to  avoid  the  no- 
tice of  the  rest  of  the  crew. 

This  order  was  executed. 

As  fortune  would  have  it,  Ned — thus  tied  up  in  a  stout 
coffee  sack — was  conveyed  from  his  close  quarters  to  the 
boat  without  being  particularly  noticed.  lie  thought,  of 
course,  that  his  last  hour  had  come. 

Saying  to  his  executive  officer  that  he  and  a  couple  of  his 
men  would  fire  the  ship,  Murlick  hastened  to  the  boat  and 
pushed  off,  and  was  soon  aboard  of  the  ship,  which  had  a 
short  time  previously  been  cast  off  from  the  Steamer. 

Our  hero  was  lifted  to  the  deck,  half  suffocated  in  the 
close  sack,  and  conveyed  to  the  cabin. 

"  I  am  going  to  leave  him  here,"  Murlick  then  remarked 
to  his  minions.  <l  lie  has  made  me  considerable  trouble, 
"  and  I  am  going  to  get  rid  of  him  I" 

The  villains  manifested  some  horrors  as  hardened  as  they 
were,  but  a  feeling  cf  curiosity  succeeded,  and  a  few  in- 
flammatory words  about  the  Yankees,  made  them  eager  for 
the  deed. 

"  Remember,  I  shall  give  you  three  hundred  dollars  apiece 
if  you  keep  your  own  counsel,"  said  ■  Murlick.  "  Look  out 
for  him  now  and  see  that  he  does  not  make  us  trouble  !" 

Ned  was  taken  from  the  sack  and  extended  upon  the 
heavy  table  in  the  centre  of  the  cabin.  Despite  his  despe- 
rate struggles,  he  was  bound  to  it  with  a  multitude  of  cords, 
so  that  he  could  not  move  hand  or  foot,  and  Murlick  then 
said  : 

"  Good  night,  Capt.  Willis.     I  will   tell   Miss  Vale   where 
you  are,  and  give  her  a  chance  to  save  your  life,  but  do  not 
'think  it  hard  if  she  should  leave  you  to  your  fate  !" 

He  turned  away,  arranged  the  combustibles  for  the  de- 
struction of  the  ship,  fired  them,  and  then  went  back  to  his 
steamer. 

His  first  movement  \va3  to  bring  Mr.  Vale  and  Eugene  on 
deck,  with  their  hands  tied  behind  them,  and  set  them  afloat 
on  a  rude  raft,  with  a  mocking  adieu,  as  they  drifted  away 
from  the  steamer. 


106  THE   TRACK   OF    FIRE  ; 

He  next  brought  Ethel  on  deck,  and  tied  her  to  a  gun- 
carriage,  telling  her  what  he  had  done  with  her  lover,  and 
assuring  her  that  he  would  release  him  if  she  would  prom- 
ise to  be  his  wife.     Her  reply  can  be  foreseen. 

After  parly  ing  with  her  a  few  minutes,  he  turned  away 
in  a  sullen  fit  of  wrath,  and  left  her  to  herself. 

u  To  be  burnt  alive  in  the  ship  !"  murmured.  "  0,  God  1 
Will  thou  permit  it  ?" 

Her  brain  seemed  reeling. 

At  this  juncture  she  noticed  the  maniac  captain  hurrying 
across  the  deck  near  her,  hatless  and  with  his  hair  flying 
wildly  about  his  face,  appearing  to  her  like  a  terrible  appa- 
rition. 

The  mood  of  the  madman  had  changed. 

He  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  fire  breaking  out  on  his 
vessel,  and  the  sight  had  excited  him  to  the  highest  pitch 
of  frensy. 

Before  Ethel  could  move  or  speak,  he  had  thrown  himself 
into  the  boat  used  by  Capt.  Murlick,  and  was  rowing  swiftly 
towards  the  burning  vessel? 


»,  .»  »  »   «« 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

AN    UNEXPECTED    CATASTROPHE CONCLUSION'. 

The  situation  of  our  hero,  as  the  flames  of  the  bun 
vessel  leaped  up  around  him,  crackling  and  roaring,  Wus 
appalling. 

To  die  thus  was  horrible  ! 

He  struggled  frantically  with  his  bonds,  but  they  only 
cut  deeper  and  deeper  into  the  smarting  flesh. 

"  Oh,  Ethel !"  he  moaned,  the  thought  of  her  adding  un- 
measured horror  to  his  anguish. 

Again  and  again  he  struggled  with  all  his  strength,  at  the 


OR,   A   CRUISE    WITH   THE    PIRATE    SEMMES.  107 

ropes  that  confined  him,  but  at  length  the  conviction  forced 
itself  upon  him  that  it  was  of  no  use — that,  so  far  as  his 
own  exertions  were  concerned,  he  wras  doomed  ! 

The  hot  breath  of  the  fire  fanned  his  cheek  already,  and 
his  frenzied  imagination  saw  fiery  shapes  flitting  before 
him,  and  heard  hissing  sounds  which  he  knew  only  too 
well  was  the  approach  of  the  devouring  element. 

But  in  this  awful  peril,  he  thought  more  of  his  betrothed 
than  of  himself. 

He  groaned  in  his  torturing  anguish. 

And  then,  as  his  brain  reeled  and  he  would  have  shrieked, 
he  heard  the  cabin  door  open,  and  saw  a  man  enter. 

He  was  the  maniac  captain  of  the  ship. 

"  What !  Are  you  shut  up  here  to  die  ?"  he  cried,  as  he 
rushed  towards  our  hero.  "  What  fiend  has  left  you  to  be 
burned  alive  !     We'll  see  !     We'll  see  who'll  be  burned  !" 

Muttering  incoherently,  he  flourished  a  huge  knife  around 
Capt.  Willis,  deftly  cutting  his  bonds,  and  the  next  instant 
the  prisoner  was  free ! 

"  Follow  me !"  then  said  the  madman,  rushing  through  the 
flames  and  smoke  to  the  door.     "  Hurry !" 

Ned  hastened  after  him  to  the  deck. 

The  flames  of  the  ship  had  risen  like  a  wall  of  fire,  and 
were  driven  by  the  wind  towards  the  steamer,  so  that  the 
motions  of  the  two  men  were  not  seen. 

"  Here !"  said  Capt.  Joyce,  as  he  rushed  to  the  side  of 
the  vessel. 

"  Jump  in !" 

They  sprang  into  the  boat,  and  the  maniac  then  said  : — 

u  These  flames  hide  us  from  our  enemies.  We  must  go  to 
the  windward  and  get  beyond  this  light,  and  then  row  in 
the  darkness  to  the  steamer  !" 

As  he  spoke,  he  pulled  rapidly  from  the  burning  vessel, 
cunningly  taking  care  to  keep  its  glare  between  him  and 
the  confederates  until  he  had  reached  the  darkness  outside, 
and  then  he  rowed  in  a  semi-circle  towards  the  steamer. 

The  man  looked  wild  and  strange,  but  despite  his  madness, 
he  looked  to  Ned  like  an  angel  of  mercy  ! 


108  THE   TRACK   OF    FIRE; 

"  The  crew  are  all  busy,  looking  at  the^burning  ship," 
muttered  Joyce, "  and  the  fiend  in  command  is  exulting  over 
your  death  !     But  I'll  soon  teach  him  !" 

Capt.  Willis  was  revolving  a  dozen  plans  in  his  mind  for 
the  rescue  of  his  friends,  when  he  suddenly  beheld  a  couple 
of  men  on  a  raft  at  a  little  distance. 

lie  drew  his  companion's  attention  to  the  fact. 

"  Let's  pick  them  up  !"'  he  said  to  Joyce.  "  They're  my 
friends  I" 

Matters  were  soon  explained  between  them,  and  con- 
tinued their  way  to  the  vessel. 

As  they  passed  behind  the  Scourge,  Ned  noticed  that  they 
had  not  attracted  attention,  and  that  the  pirates  were  all  on 
the  other  side  of  the  vessel,  regarding  the  conflagration. 

Capt.  Murlick  had  just  put  all  of  his  prisoners,  save  Ethel, 
into  boats,  and  was  sending  them  adrift. 

The  madman  rowed  alongside,  securing  the  boat,  and 
then  whispered  : — 

"  Here  are  ropes  to  climb  aboard.  I  fixed  them.  Now's 
your  chance,  if  you  want  to  get  the  girl.  Be  quick,  for  I 
have  got  my  revenge  to  attend  to.  I  have  found  out  where 
the  powder  is.  since  I  came  on  board,  and  I  am  going  to 
blow  'em  all  up  !" 

Before  Ned  could  speak,  the  madman  climbed  up  the 
steamer's  side  like  a  cat,  and  glided  over  the  bulwarks  and 
disappeared  from  his  view. 

"Ill  find  Ethel,  if  possible!"  whispered  Capt.  "Willis. 
"  Keep  quiet  till  I  return  ?" 

lie  climbed  up  and  hastened  along  the  deck.  That  part 
of  the  vessel  was  deserted,  and  he  was  not  noticed  by  the 
crew.  He  saw  Murlick  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  vessel, 
watching  for  prey. 

Suddenly,  to  his  intense  joy  and  relief,  he  beheld  Ethel 
bound  to  a  gun-carriage  at  no  great  distance  from  him. 

Her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  fire. 

In  o  one  was  near  her. 

Ned  glided  to  her,  touching  her  arm,  and  quickly  cut  her 


OR,   A   CRUISE   WITH  THE    PIRATE  SEMMES.  109 

bonds.  Tlio  maiden  did  not  utter  a  word  a8  she  saw  him 
but  a  look  of  strange  horror  was  on  her  face. 

"  Come  !"  he  whispered,  leading  the  way  across  the  deck. 

The  maiden  obeyed  in  a  mechanical  sort  of  way,  the  ex- 
pression of  her  face  unchanged. 

When  they  had  reached  the  side  of  the  vessel,  Ned 
caught  up  a  rope  and  fastened  it  about  her  waist,  whisper- 
ing : 

"  My  own  Ethel !  I  am  no  ghost — but  your  veritable 
Ned '" 

She  looked  up  with  a  quick  glance  as  he  lowered  her  into 
the  boat  and  followed,  and  the  next  instant  they  were  clasp- 
ed in  each  other's  arms! 

Eugene  pushed  off  rowing  rapidly. 

"  Look  up,  my  darling !"  said  Ned,  when  she  had  wept  the 
awful  pressure  from  her  brain.  "Here  are  father  and  Eu- 
gene !" 

The  maiden  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise  and  looked  up  to  be 
pressed  to  her  father's  heart. 

The  young  men  pulled  rapidly  from  the  vessel,  but  had 
not  proceeded  more  than  half  a  mile  when  they  heard  sounds 
of  a  great  tunnel  on  the  steamer. 

And  in  the  midst  of  their  fears,  an  awful  sound  burst  on 
the  air,  and  the  steamer  was  blown  in  a  thousand  pieces  ! 

Pieces  of  timber  and  iron  were  thrown  all  around  them, 
but  the  active  efforts  of  the  young  men  soon  carried  them 
beyond  the  reach  of  these  projectiles.  The  groans  of  the 
dying  fell  on  their  ears,  mingled  with  shrieks  and  cursings 
and  the   hissing  of  the  sea. 

And  then  all  became  silent. 

The  fugitives  were  alone  upon  the  waters  ! 

The  remainder  of  our  story  can  easily  be  told. 

Two  days  later  the  little  party  was  picked  up  by  a  Boston 
vessel,  homeward  bound,  and  were  taken  to  their  native 
land  without  further  adventures. 

Of  those  on  board  the  steamer  at  the  time  of  her  being 
blown  up,  not  one  has  since  been  heard  from.  They  found 
alike  a  watery  grave. 


110  THE  TRACK   OF   FIRE. 

-The  subsequent  career  of  Capt.  Semmes  can  be  traced  he 
the  attentive  reader  through  the  dafty  papers.  Whether  lie 
will  yet  be  captured  by  the  active  cruisers  of  the  U.  S.  Gov- 
ernment remains  to  be  seen. 

But  one  thing  is  certain,  and  that  is  the  happiness  of  our 
hero  and  the  Vales.  Immediately  after  their  arriving  at  home, 
Ethel  and  Capt.  "Willis  were  married  and  presented  with  a 
splendid  country-seat  by  Mr.  Yale,  where  the  whole  family 
reside  in  the  possession  of  every  comfort  and  blessing. 

Tue  End. 


IRWIN  P.   BEADLE'S 

TEN  CENT  NOVEL,  No.  3 


THE  PATRIOT   HIGHWAYMAN: 


TALE  OF  THE  DEVOLUTION, 

BY 

THE  AUTHOR  OF  "  LEAH  THE   FORSAKEN." 


-»•-♦-  ♦♦- 


The  production  of  such  a  piece  as  "  Leah  the  Forsaken,"  is  within  the 
power  of  but  few  minds.  It  has  been  admired  by  Hundreds  ol  Thousands, 
|  and  has  attained  such  a  popularity  as  few  productions  can  ever  bo  ex- 
pected lo  reach.  The  "Patriot  Highwayman"  is  one  of  the  greatest  efforts 
of  its  author.  The  heio  is  one  of  those  daring,  dashing,  and  erratic  charac- 
ters that  at  once  delight  and  astonish  the  world  by  the  boldness  and  bril- 
liancy of  their  exploits.  The  author  has  availed  himself  of  his  stronir 
descriptive  powers  to  portray  the  acts  of  this  most  daring  of  the  daring 
spirits  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  introduces  most  oL*  the  renowned  I 
personages  of  that  eventful  period.  ^iost  of  the  scenes  are  laid  in  the  im-  j 
mediate  vicinity  of  Xew  York.  The  whole  story  abounds  in  dramatic 
incidents,  and  the  interest  which  begins  with  the  beginning  of  the  tirst  i 
chapter  is  admirably  sustained  to  the  end.  Orders  should  be  forwarded  j 
immediately. 

IRWIX     P      BEADLE     &    Co., 

137  WILLIAM   STUEET,    N.  Y. 

j  H.  DEXTER  HAMILTON  &  Co.,  General  Agents, 
113  Nassau  street,  N.  V. 


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TO    BE    ISSUED    FEBRUARY   15tla. 

IRWIN    1?.   BEADLE'S 

TEN  CENT  NOVEL  No.  6. 


•  »■  '< 


THE 

MAN-EATERS; 

or,  The  Cannibal  Queen! 

A  Story  of  Wonderful  Events  and  Exploits  in  the 

South  Pacific. 

By  ILLIOIST  OON8TELLAN(),^ 

Author  op  "The  Hunted  Unionist,"  "The  Sun  Scorpion,"  "  Tim  ». 

Spider,"  "The  Pearl  Diver,"  "The  Silver  Digger,"  &c. 

***  Every  one  has  heurd  more  or  les9  concerning  the  habits  and  customs  of  ,j 
the  savages  of  the  Paciiic  Ocean,  and  every  one  will  be  thankful  to  Mr.  Constev 
lano  for  this  brilliant  and  fascinating  picture  of  life  in  those   distant    regionfi| 
It  describes  the  wreak  of  the  schooner  Petrel,  of  New  York,  on  one  of  the  Fe«i 
jee  Inlands,  and  details  the  sabseqnent  adventures  of  the  persons  aboard  of  hejS 
among  those  outre  beings.    It  sh  >w-  how  a  beautiful  Feeje?  glii  fell  in  love  rftjH 
the  mate  of  the  ship  wrecked  ves^l,  and  sunt  him  ui>  in  a  cave,  insisting  ou 
acceptance- of  her  suit:  low  the  heroine  of  the  story  was  persecuted  by  t.. 
rocious  Amazon ;  how  theBhipwrecke  1  seamen  w?re  fattened  to  be  eateu;  audj 
all  the  particulars  of  real  life  am  my  the   Feajees     In  a  word,  this  book  isaa 
reliable  and  complete  account  of  the  Mri-E  iter*",''  and  is  one  of  those  charming  ; 
pictures  of  rustic  barbarism  which  delig'«t  everybody,  fully  verifying  wlu»t  !' 
has  asserted  in  the  fourteenth  canto  of  Den  Ji 

"  'Tis  stran?f,  but  tru*  ;    for  trufh   i«  alway*  s-trar  , 
iSrrangrr   than    tic*; 

N.R. — It  affords  us  great  satisfaction  to  be  abb-  to  bay  that  hereafter  Mr.  I 
stellano  will  write  exclusively  for  us. 

IEWIN  P.  BEADLE  &  Go.       :i 

PtTBXaisHEyRQ, 
137  William  Street,  New  York 

II.  DEXTER   HAMILTON  &  Co,,  General   Agent* 
11J    Niisnau   street. 


■     \ 


